Demographics of Czechia - statistics & facts
The Russia-Ukraine war gave rise to a strong wave of immigration to Czechia, with the country being a major destination for fleeing Ukrainian refugees. Thus, in 2022, immigration skyrocketed, and the number of inhabitants in 2023 as well. Czechia’s population increased to almost 10.9 million, with roughly 200,000 more women than men. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant negative natural changes in the population after 2020 compared to previous years, with more people dying than being born. After the demographic stagnation of the 1980s, Czechia’s population has fluctuated since the 1990s. In general, in terms of population, Czechia is a medium-sized country, ranking 13th in Europe behind Belgium and Sweden and ahead of Greece and Portugal.
International crises have heavily influenced Czechia’s demographics in recent years, and the population has seen an increase due to immigration and refugees from Ukraine. This development is reflected in the demographic forecast for 2100, where the number of people living in Czechia is projected to increase to over 11 million. At the same time, the country has an aging society, which puts pressure on its social system.
How is Czechia’s population structured?
In 2023, the largest age group was between 43 and 51 years old, with more than 160,000 people per each year of age, of which the majority were men. The most-populated region in Czechia is the Central Bohemian Region, which surrounds the country’s capital city, Prague, which ranks second in population. The other most populous regions are South Moravian and Moravian-Silesian Regions. Since 2014, there have been more single people than those married. This share difference has only increased with time. Regarding education level, most people in Czechia have a secondary education with maturita, the Czech school-leaving exam on a par with the British A-levels or the German Abitur, which allows them to study at a university. Nearly 1.88 million people in Czechia have attained some level of tertiary education.The demographic issue of aging
Czechia, like most European countries, is facing a worsening demographical situation. The fertility rate has decreased overall in the past century. Through improved living conditions and modern medical care, people live much longer than they used to. Thus, the median age of the Czech population increased significantly in the past 30 years. However, this leads to issues in multiple areas, primarily the medical and social care sectors. The personal and material limits of medical institutions such as hospitals became visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The social system is becoming increasingly strained, with younger generations less numerous than the older ones, who will retire soon. The share of the population over 65 has increased significantly in the past decades.International crises have heavily influenced Czechia’s demographics in recent years, and the population has seen an increase due to immigration and refugees from Ukraine. This development is reflected in the demographic forecast for 2100, where the number of people living in Czechia is projected to increase to over 11 million. At the same time, the country has an aging society, which puts pressure on its social system.
