Get the latest crypto news, updates, and reports by subscribing to our free newsletter.
Giấy phép số 4978/GP-TTĐT do Sở Thông tin và Truyền thông Hà Nội cấp ngày 14 tháng 10 năm 2019 / Giấy phép SĐ, BS GP ICP số 2107/GP-TTĐT do Sở TTTT Hà Nội cấp ngày 13/7/2022.
© 2026 Index.vn
This divergent trend is reshaping economic and social structures in many parts of the world. The infographic below ranks 24 countries and territories with the strongest population growth and 24 places with the sharpest declines since 2000, based on the rate of change in total population. The Gulf states account for a large share of the top positions in the growth cohort, but the main driver is not the birth rate. Qatar leads the world with population growth of 423%, from about 594,000 people to 3.1 million. Behind it are the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a 250% increase. Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman are also in the top 10, with increases of 154%, 139% and 129%. The surge in population growth in Gulf countries mainly stems from waves of migrant labor. Over the past two decades, large-scale construction projects, the development of the oil and gas sector, and a diversification strategy have attracted millions of foreign workers to the region. Beyond the Gulf, the fastest-growing populations are mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Papua New Guinea round out the top five with increases of 167%, 157% and 150%. Meanwhile, Angola, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Uganda and Zambia have each seen populations more than double in the 25-year period. High birth rates, alongside gradually improving health systems, have helped sustain rapid population growth in this region. In contrast, many Eastern European countries are experiencing a prolonged population decline. From 2000 to present, Bulgaria, Latvia, Moldova and Lithuania each lost about one-fifth of their population, or more. Ukraine has the largest decline, with a 33% drop in population, equivalent to about 16 million people — from 48.7 million in 2000 to 32.9 million in 2025. Besides long-standing economic headwinds, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has further accelerated this trend. This is a common trend across many Eastern European countries. After joining the European Union, opening borders to higher-income Western European economies accelerated migration of the working-age population. With fertility rates already low, this trend exacerbates the demographic challenge, leading many countries to face aging and shrinking populations. Puerto Rico, Romania and Serbia follow similar trajectories, with declines of 17%, 16% and 13% respectively. Even larger-population countries like Poland and Japan also show declines of 5% and 3%. The list ends with Russia, with a population decline of nearly 1% since 2000. India deploys more than 3 million civil servants to conduct a census. 19:28, 31/03/2026 The pace of population aging in Asia 16:17, 31/01/2026 Japan sinks deeper into population crisis 11:19, 29/12/2025 Keywords: demographics, population growth, population decline, world
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…