Poland enters period of long-term demographic crisis - stats office

Poland has entered a period of long-term demographic crisis, according to a Central Statistical Office (GUS) report entitled 'Poland's demographic situation until 2018. Creation and collapse of families.' "A fall in the number of births recorded in 2018 confirms that the population processes that have formed over the last 30 years have caused Poland to enter a period of further demographic crisis (which had transitorily occurred in the year 1997-2007), but will currently probably in the nature of a long-term tendency," GUS wrote. GUS said that births are a key factor influencing the size and structure of the population. According to the statistical office, in order to ensure the country's stable demographic development, in any year, for each 100 women aged 15-49, there should be an average of 210-215 children born. The number in Poland is currently about 143. "This state of affairs results primarily from young people postponing the decision to start a family - which started in the 1990s - and then having fewer children or none at all," GUS wrote.