IN PHOTO: A German national flag is seen atop the Reichstag building, the seat of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, November 2, 2014.

IN PHOTO: A German national flag is seen atop the Reichstag building, the seat of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, November 2, 2014. Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch

A new study conducted by an auditing firm has found that Germany’s birth rate has plummeted down, surpassing that of Japan’s. Germany now takes the first place in the world’s lowest birth rate, which sparked fears that soon the labour market will affect the economy, the Telegraph reports.

The study by the Hamburg Institute of International Economics, or HWWI, showed that the average births per 1,000 people have dropped to 8.2 for the last five years from 2008 to 2013. The drop in Germany’s birth rate only means that the percentage of working age people—between the ages of 20 and 65—would decline from 61 percent down to 54 percent by 2030.

The birth rates in Japan were better as it saw 8.4 children born for every 1,000 locals over the course of the study. On the other hand, Portugal had 9.0 births and Italy with 9.3.

France and U.K. showed the same average of 12.7 births for every 1,000 inhabitants. The highest births recorded were in Africa, according to the report.

Study authors noted that women’s role in the workforce is important for the health of the economy. They also warned that the drop in working-age population can bring negative consequences.

"Without strong labour markets, Germany cannot maintain its economic edge in the long run," said Arno Probst, member of German Institute of Public Auditors. Probst said that the country would soon deal with higher wage costs as a consequence to the shortage of skilled labourers.

Sources also stated that the German government expects the country’s population to decline from 81 million to 67 million in 2060. “We want people to face up to the enormity of the problem,” said Dr Andres Wolf, one of the study authors. The study also urged Germany to open its doors to trained immigrant workers.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email: wendylemeric@gmail.com.