Germany’s birth rate has slumped to the lowest in the world, prompting fears labor market shortages will damage the economy.
Germany has dropped below Japan in not just the lowest birth rate across Europe but also globally, says a report by Germany-based analysts. Its authors warned of the effects of a shrinking working-age population.
They said women’s participation in the workforce would be key to the country’s economic future, reports bbc.com.
In Germany, an average of 8.2 children were born per 1,000 people in the past five years, said German auditing firm BDO which conducted the study with the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI). Japan saw 8.4 children born per 1,000 over the same time period.
The highest birth rates were in Africa, with Niger at the top of the list with 50 births per 1,000 people.
