The challenges and demographic prospects of European countries
The challenges and demographic prospects of European countries

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to indicate selected demographic processes, their consequences and how they will have a major future impact on the functioning of the European countries. The importance of individual countries is directly connected to their demographic potential, the size of which has been changing rapidly in recent years. A proper identification of the existing demographic problems requires the use of appropriate cognitive tools for their description. To explain the ongoing contemporary demographic processes the author applied not only traditional demographic measures, but also other less frequently used approaches among other methods of potential demography. Comparing different European countries highlights the differences in terms of their potential ability to reproduce, the age dependency ratio or advanced aging populations. The author proposed a measure which may be a reference point in determining the statutory retirement age. Current demographic projections indicate unfavorable demographic prospects for many European countries and for Europe in general.

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