NIS: Romania’s population has declined, the number of elderly people exceeds that of children by 39.2%

Romania’s resident population fell to 21,557,600 people on July 1, 2026, down by approximately 114,000 people, or 0.5%, compared with the same period last year, according to provisional data published by the National Institute of Statistics (NIS). At the same time, demographic ageing intensified.

The decline was more pronounced in urban areas, where the population fell by 0.9% to 11.88 million people. In rural areas, the decrease was 0.02%, bringing the population to 9.68 million. Women account for 51.3% of the total population, while the female population fell by 54,300 people in one year, compared with a decline of 59,600 among men.

Romania had approximately 4.1 million people aged at least 65 and 2.94 million children aged between 0 and 14. Thus, the number of elderly people exceeds the number of children by 39.2%, while the ageing index rose from 135.4 to 139.2 elderly people per 100 children.

The share of people aged at least 65 reached 19%, while the share of children fell to 13.7%. The average age of the population rose to 43.4 years, while people aged between 45 and 49 form the largest age group.

The data refer to the resident population, which also includes Romanian citizens settled abroad but who have retained their official domicile in the country. The figures will be revised in the first half of 2028.