Greece ranks among the five European countries with the lowest fertility rates, recording levels below 1.5 children per woman for decades — a threshold considered “extremely low.” The finding comes from a study by the Institute of Demographic Research and Studies, led by Professor Byron Kotzamanis of the University of Thessaly. The research spans the period from 1970 to 2023 and analyzes data from 30 European countries.
Greece is at the bottom of Europe in fertility.
Alongside Greece, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany have all experienced more than 35 years of extremely low fertility. By contrast, France and Iceland have never seen their fertility rate fall below 1.5, while the Nordic countries recorded only a few years at such low levels.
Researchers stress the gap is not coincidental. In countries with consistently higher fertility, robust welfare systems, and targeted family- and child-support policies played a decisive role. In southern Europe—and particularly in Greece—the absence of such measures prevented generations after 1970 from having the number of children they desired.
Elon Musk recently voiced alarm over Greece’s demographic crisis, predicting the country’s “death” as birth rates continue to plunge.
Posting on his account on X, Musk shared reports that more than 700 schools have closed because of dwindling student numbers. He captioned the news with the phrase “the death of Greece,” a stark comment on the country’s population decline.
