By 2050, teenagers will make up no more than 12 percent of Greece’s population, the average age will be 50, and the number of economically active people will, at best, stand at 3.7 million.



These figures were released by the Hellenic Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology (HAGG) ahead of the International Day for Older Persons today.

HAGG issued a warning about the impact of Greece’s low birth rate and negative net migration rate while urging authorities to take measures to encourage healthy and active aging.



Data show that Greece and Italy have the joint third lowest birth rate in Europe (9/1,000) after Germany (8.4/1,000) and Portugal (8.5/1,000).



Greece’s total fertility rate has dipped to 1.26, when, in order to maintain the population, the country needs a birth rate of 2.1.



Even according to the most optimistic predictions, it is estimated that Greece’s population will be under 10 million by 205; skeptics put the country’s population at 8.3 million by that date.

Furthermore, it is estimated that Greece will have 1-1.4 million children aged 3-17 in 2050, down from 1.6 million today.



At the same time, over-65s are seen making up a third of the overall population, from 20.7 percent today. The average age will climb to 50, from 44 today.