Demographics of Finland - statistics & facts
Finland's aging population
The change in age structure results primarily from the baby boom following World War II. The population growth slowed down after the 1960s, and since then the crude birth rate has fallen from 18.5 to 7.8 per 1,000 inhabitants. Similarly, the fertility rate has steadily declined, reaching an all-time low of 1.26 in 2023. As a result, the number of deaths has surpassed the number of births in the past few years. At the same time, the life expectancy of women has reached around 84.19 years, which is approximately five years more than for Finnish men.Population density and migration
Finland is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe. In 2023, the population density was reported at 18.4 inhabitants per square kilometer. However, most people live in the southern parts of the country. The population density varies between over 193 inhabitants per square kilometer in the capital region to only 1.9 inhabitants per square kilometer in Lapland. The majority of Finnish people live in or around a large city, and the depopulation of the countryside has intensified due to the demographic change. Only four regions received migration gain in 2023, whereas most areas suffered population losses.Based on current developments, it is estimated that Finland’s population will grow, reaching 5.6 million in 2035 and start declining in the following decades.