RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The results of the latest census in Romania

Romanias population has dwindled as a result of migration and decreasing birth rates, says the latest census.

The results of the latest census in Romania
The results of the latest census in Romania

, 05.07.2013, 13:17

The final results of a census conducted in October 2011 confirm the fact that Romania’s population has dropped since the previous census carried out a decade earlier. There are currently 20.1 million people residing in Romania, which is 1.5 less than in 2002. The main cause for this decrease is economic migration. The president of the National Statistical Office, Tudorel Andrei explains:



Tudorel Andrei: “Migration is the most important factor that contributed to population decline. Almost 77% of this decline can be explained by migration abroad. There is also a natural cause. We all know that in this period, even if life expectancy has increased, the birth rate has dropped significantly.”



The latest census also provides information about the scope of migration. Thus, more than 700,000 people polled in 2011 left abroad for at least one year, but this figure is thought to account for only one third of the real figure, says the president of the National Statistical Office.



Apart from this aspect, the other findings of the census do not reflect any major changes. Ethnic Romanians make up for 89% of the country’s population, so the Orthodox denomination is still dominant. In terms of ethnic groups, the largest ethnic population after the Romanians is the ethnic Hungarian population with 6.5% and the Roma population with 3.3%.



Also, women make up for around 51% of the country’s population and 54% of Romanians live in an urban environment. With almost 1.9 million inhabitants, the capital city Bucharest is still the country’s biggest city. In terms of age groups, children under 14 only account for 16% of the population, while the 25-64 age group accounts for 56%. More than 16 million people are over 18 years of age.



According to another finding, the country’s population is older compared to the previous census, which fuels concerns about a discouraging economic ratio between the active population and pensioners. One positive finding is that the population is, however, more educated. In the last 10 years, the number of higher education graduates has doubled from 7 to 14%.



The first reaction after the publication of the results of the 2011 census came from a politician and was, as expected, political. Prime minister Victor Ponta said the confirmed decline in population confirms that last summer’s referendum to impeach president Traian Basescu, which required 50% of the total number of voters, was in fact valid. In response, the president accused the prime minister of irresponsible behaviour and recalled the census only includes a part of the Romanian voters living abroad. The dispute not only comes too late, but is also irrelevant, because the figures taken into account by the Constitutional Court when it ruled that the referendum is not valid reflected the number of registered voters. The fact that the lists of registered voters should be updated is an entirely different matter.

European Commission (photo: © European Union - Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Christophe Licoppe)
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Photo: aep.ro
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Gas consumption in the EU (Credits: magnascan-pixabay-com)
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Photo: roaep.ro
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels

NATO welcomes Romania’s continuous efforts and its significant contribution to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security, NATO...

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Romania’s economic growth estimate has been recalculated by the European Commission (EC), at a value well below the initially established...

Downward forecast from the European Commission
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

The fall of the Berlin Wall, 35 years ago, represented for Romanians an encouragement in their fight for freedom, and the removal of the Iron Curtain...

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
Today in the News Friday, 15 November 2024

European minimum wage in Romania

The law on the introduction of the European minimum wage in Romania was promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has...

European minimum wage in Romania

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company