Germany’s population fell by around 100,000 people last year as sharply reduced immigration was no longer able to compensate for the country’s persistent birth deficit. According to preliminary figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) in Wiesbaden, about 83.5 million people were living in Germany at the end of 2025, compared with 83.6 million a year earlier.
It marks the first annual decline since 2020, the initial year of the coronavirus pandemic. Between 2011 and 2024, Germany’s population grew every year except in 2020, driven largely by immigration.
Statisticians attribute the decline to shrinking net immigration. For 2025, Destatis expects net migration of 220,000 to 260,000 people, at least 40% less than the 430,000 recorded in 2024. In the first ten months of 2025, Germany registered 220,000 more arrivals than departures, far below the 391,500 recorded during the same period of the previous year.
A similarly low level of net migration was last observed in 2020. The long-term average from 1990 to 2024 stood at 356,000 people per year, underscoring how sharply the 2025 figure has fallen.
Germany’s birth deficit, present every year since reunification in 1990, widened further in 2025. While the number of deaths remained stable at roughly one million, the number of births continued to decline. Based on civil registry data available so far, Destatis expects 640,000 to 660,000 births for the year, down from 677,117 in 2024.
This results in a birth deficit of 340,000 to 360,000 people, marking the third consecutive year in which the shortfall has exceeded 300,000. During the 2010s, the average annual deficit had been far lower, at around 171,423 people.
The population estimate for the end of 2025 is based on monthly data on births and migration through October, with values for November and December derived from statistical projections. The provisional figures for deaths reflect reporting status as of January 27, 2026. These numbers provide an initial overview of demographic trends in 2025, while final results are expected to be released in June or July 2026.
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