Europe · South-Eastern Europe
Romania Demographics
Romania combines resident population decline, low fertility, positive official net migration, and an older age structure in which the 65+ population is larger than the 0–14 population.
Core resident-population figures use INSSE usually resident population at 1 January 2025. Long annual trend series use World Bank WDI via FRED de facto mid-year estimates. Projection values use UN DESA World Population Prospects 2024 medium-variant displays. Definitions differ by source.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usually resident population | 19,043,151 | 2025 | INSSE, 1 January resident population |
| WDI mid-year population estimate | 19,020,271 | 2025 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Resident population change | -24,425 people | 2025 vs 2024 | INSSE, usually resident population |
| Resident population growth | -0.13% | 2025 vs 2024 | Calculated from INSSE resident-population change |
| Natural change | -100,900 | 2024 | INSSE demographic balance |
| Net international migration | +71,300 | 2024 | INSSE official resident migration balance |
| Total fertility rate | 1.39 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank WDI, cross-checked with Eurostat fertility statistics |
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 76.46 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| Life expectancy at birth, men | 72.8 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI, displayed in German Federal Statistical Office country profile |
| Life expectancy at birth, women | 80.3 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI, displayed in German Federal Statistical Office country profile |
| Urban population share | 54.88% | 2024 | World Bank WDI urban population series |
| Official urban resident population | 9,770,400 | 2025 | INSSE, usually resident population |
| Population aged 0-14 | 15.4% | 2025 | INSSE, usually resident population |
| Population aged 15-64 | 64.3% | 2025 | Calculated as residual from INSSE 0-14 and 65+ shares |
| Population aged 65+ | 20.3% | 2025 | INSSE, usually resident population |
| Ageing index | 131.3 elderly persons per 100 young people | 2025 | INSSE |
| Age dependency ratio | 55.6 young and elderly persons per 100 adults | 2025 | INSSE |
| Female resident population | 9,752,600 | 2025 | INSSE, usually resident population |
Table analysis
- The official resident-population figure for 1 January 2025 is 19,043,151, while the World Bank WDI mid-year estimate for 2025 is 19,020,271; the two figures use different population concepts and dates.
- The official resident population declined by 24,425 people from 1 January 2024 to 1 January 2025.
- Natural change was -100,900 in 2024, while official net international migration was +71,300.
- The 2024 fertility rate of 1.39 births per woman is below the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1 births per woman.
- The 65+ share of 20.3% is higher than the 0-14 share of 15.4% in the official resident-population structure.
Population Trend
Romania Population Trend
World Bank WDI de facto mid-year population estimates, selected years from 1960 to 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. This chart uses de facto mid-year estimates and does not use the INSSE 1 January resident-population definition.
Trend analysis
- The WDI mid-year series rises from 18.41 million in 1960 to 23.20 million in 1990.
- The 2025 WDI estimate is 19.02 million, about 4.18 million below the 1990 value.
- The decline from 1990 to 2025 is about 18.0% when calculated from the displayed WDI values.
- Observed and estimated population values are kept separate from projection values in this page.
Historical Population Table
| Year | Population | Annual growth | Population concept | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 18,406,905 | Data not available | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1965 | 19,031,576 | 0.59% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 20,250,398 | 1.20% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1975 | 21,293,583 | 1.25% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 22,207,282 | 0.53% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1985 | 22,732,999 | 0.41% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 23,201,835 | 0.17% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1995 | 22,684,270 | -0.20% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 22,442,971 | -0.13% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2005 | 21,319,685 | -0.62% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 20,246,871 | -0.59% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2015 | 19,815,616 | -0.47% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 19,265,250 | -0.55% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 19,122,059 | -0.75% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 19,048,502 | -0.39% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 19,061,062 | 0.07% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 19,051,804 | -0.05% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2025 | 19,020,271 | -0.17% | De facto mid-year estimate | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Table analysis
- The selected WDI series peaks at 23,201,835 in 1990 among the years shown.
- By 2025, the WDI mid-year estimate is 19,020,271.
- Annual growth is negative in most displayed years after 1995.
- The table is not an official 1 January resident-population series; it is a de facto mid-year estimate series for long-run comparison.
Population Growth Pattern
Annual Population Growth Rate
Selected World Bank WDI annual growth rates for Romania.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. Unit: percent annual population growth rate.
Chart analysis
- The selected WDI growth series is positive through 1990, then turns negative in 1995.
- The lowest displayed annual rate is -0.75% in 2021.
- The 2025 WDI annual growth rate is -0.17%.
- Growth rates in this chart follow the WDI mid-year estimate definition, not the INSSE resident-population release date.
Broad Age Structure and Sex Balance
Broad Age Structure
INSSE usually resident population shares by broad age group, 1 January 2025.
Source: INSSE. Counts below are calculated from the official total population and rounded published age shares. This is not a full population pyramid.
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 | About 2,932,645 | 15.4% | 2025 | INSSE share; count calculated from official resident total |
| 15-64 | About 12,244,746 | 64.3% | 2025 | Calculated as residual from INSSE 0-14 and 65+ shares |
| 65+ | About 3,865,760 | 20.3% | 2025 | INSSE share; count calculated from official resident total |
| Measure | Male | Female | Total | Male share | Female share | Sex ratio | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usually resident population | 9,290,551 | 9,752,600 | 19,043,151 | 48.8% | 51.2% | 95.3 males per 100 females | 2025 | INSSE; male population and sex ratio calculated from official total and female count |
Age-sex analysis
- The 65+ population share of 20.3% is 4.9 percentage points higher than the 0-14 share of 15.4%.
- The official ageing index is 131.3 elderly persons per 100 young people.
- Women account for 51.2% of the usually resident population, compared with 48.8% for men.
- The calculated total sex ratio is 95.3 males per 100 females.
- A full population pyramid is not produced because verified 5-year age-by-sex rows are not included in the current visible dataset.
Fertility Trend
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Romania’s 2024 total fertility rate compared with the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED; 2024 value cross-checked with Eurostat fertility statistics. Replacement level is a benchmark, not a country-specific estimate.
| Year | Fertility rate | Births | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.34 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1965 | 1.91 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 2.89 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1975 | 2.59 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 2.43 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1985 | 2.31 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 1.83 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1995 | 1.33 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 1.31 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2005 | 1.40 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 1.59 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2015 | 1.62 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 1.80 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 1.81 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 1.71 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 1.54 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 1.39 | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED; Eurostat cross-check |
Data analysis
- The 2024 fertility rate is 1.39 births per woman.
- The 2024 rate is 0.71 births per woman below the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1.
- The selected WDI series shows a decline from 1.81 in 2021 to 1.39 in 2024.
- Birth-count rows are marked as “Data not available” because this table uses the WDI fertility-rate series.
Life Expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex
Total, male and female life expectancy values for 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED for total life expectancy; male and female values displayed in the German Federal Statistical Office country profile using WB-WDI data.
| Year | Total | Men | Women | Female-male gap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 65.86 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 67.48 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 69.09 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 69.74 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 71.16 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 73.46 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 74.25 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 72.81 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 75.15 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 76.40 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 76.46 | 72.8 | 80.3 | 7.5 years | World Bank WDI via FRED; German Federal Statistical Office country profile for sex split |
Data analysis
- Total life expectancy at birth is 76.46 years in 2024.
- The displayed 2024 female value is 80.3 years, compared with 72.8 years for men.
- The 2024 female-male gap is 7.5 years.
- The long total series and the 2024 sex split come from compatible WDI-based displays, but the table marks unavailable sex-specific historical values rather than estimating them.
Migration and Natural Change
2024 Resident-Population Balance
Official INSSE natural change, net international migration and resident-population change.
Source: INSSE. Natural change and net international migration are demographic components for 2024; resident-population change compares 1 January 2025 with 1 January 2024.
| Component | Value | Year | Definition note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural change | -100,900 | 2024 | Births minus deaths in the resident-population balance | INSSE |
| Net international migration | +71,300 | 2024 | Official resident migration balance | INSSE |
| Late registered births | About +5,200 | 2024 | Registration timing component reported in the resident-population balance | INSSE release summary |
| Resident population change | -24,425 | 1 Jan 2025 vs 1 Jan 2024 | Change in usually resident population between reference dates | INSSE |
Data analysis
- Official net international migration was positive at +71,300 in 2024.
- Natural change was negative at -100,900 in the same year.
- The positive migration balance offset about 70.7% of the natural decrease when compared with the displayed component values.
- The resident-population change remained negative at -24,425 people between 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2025.
Urban Population Profile
Urban Share by Source Definition
World Bank WDI urban share and INSSE resident-based urban share are shown separately.
Sources: World Bank WDI urban series and INSSE usually resident population. The two values should not be treated as the same measure.
| Measure | Value | Year | Definition note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban population share | 54.88% | 2024 | WDI urban population series | World Bank WDI |
| Urban population count | 9,923,420 | 2025 | WDI urban population count, rounded from thousands | World Bank WDI |
| Official urban resident population | 9,770,400 | 2025 | Usually resident population living in urban areas | INSSE |
| Official resident-based urban share | 51.31% | 2025 | Calculated from INSSE urban count and total resident population | Calculated from INSSE values |
Data analysis
- The WDI urban share is 54.88% for 2024.
- The INSSE resident-based urban share calculated from official 2025 values is 51.31%.
- The difference reflects source definitions and reference dates, so the two values are shown as a source comparison rather than a single trend.
Population Projection
UN WPP Medium-Variant Projection Path
Selected projection display values for Romania from 2025 to 2100.
Source: UN DESA World Population Prospects 2024 medium-variant display values. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not observed population counts.
| Year | Projected population | Scenario | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18,908,650 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 display value |
| 2030 | About 18,500,000 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 rounded display value |
| 2040 | 17,209,717 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 display value |
| 2050 | About 16,500,000 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 rounded display value |
| 2075 | About 14,800,000 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 rounded display value |
| 2100 | About 13,500,000 | Medium variant | UN DESA WPP 2024 rounded display value |
Projection analysis
- The selected medium-variant projection path shows Romania below 19 million in the 2025 projection display.
- The displayed 2050 projection is about 16.5 million.
- The displayed 2100 projection is about 13.5 million.
- Projection values are scenario-based estimates and are not guaranteed future counts.
- The projection series is separate from the WDI historical mid-year estimate series and the INSSE resident-population series.
Demographic Overview
The official resident population fell by 24,425 people between 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2025.
The 2024 fertility rate is 1.39 births per woman, below the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1.
The 65+ share is 20.3%, while the 0-14 share is 15.4% in the official 2025 resident-population structure.
Official net international migration was positive in 2024, but it did not fully offset the negative natural change.
Women account for 51.2% of the usually resident population, with 95.3 males per 100 females by calculation.
INSSE resident-population counts, WDI mid-year estimates and UN projection values are separate measurement series.
Data Sources and Methodology
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| INSSE, National Institute of Statistics Romania | 1 January 2025 resident population; 2024 demographic balance | Usually resident population, resident population change, official urban resident count, female count, broad age shares, ageing index, dependency ratio, natural change and official net international migration. |
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED | Annual series updated in 2026; values through 2025 for population and growth, through 2024 for fertility and life expectancy | Historical mid-year population series, annual population growth, total fertility rate, total life expectancy, WDI urban population series and broad WDI context values. |
| Eurostat fertility statistics | 2024 fertility release context | Cross-checking Romania’s 2024 total fertility rate and the 2023-to-2024 fertility change context. |
| UN DESA World Population Prospects 2024 display values | 2025-2100 medium-variant display values | Median age display value and selected population projection path. Projection values are kept separate from observed and estimated historical counts. |
| German Federal Statistical Office country profile using WB-WDI values | 2024 values displayed in 2026 country profile | Male and female life expectancy at birth values for 2024. |
| Measure | Definition used on this page | Unit | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usually resident population | Population with usual residence according to the national statistical definition and reference date. | Persons | INSSE, 1 January 2025. |
| Mid-year population estimate | De facto population estimate used in WDI long-run international series. | Persons | World Bank WDI via FRED. |
| Fertility rate | Total fertility rate, expressed as births per woman. | Births per woman | World Bank WDI; 2024 value cross-checked with Eurostat. |
| Life expectancy | Life expectancy at birth. | Years | World Bank WDI via FRED and WB-WDI country profile display. |
| Urban population share | Urban share depends on source classification and reference year. | Percent of population | WDI urban series and INSSE resident-based calculation are shown separately. |
| Projection | Scenario-based future population estimate. | Persons | UN DESA WPP 2024 medium-variant display values. |
Method note
- Resident-population values are preferred for current official Romania-specific counts.
- World Bank WDI values are used for long-run annual comparability because they provide a consistent mid-year series.
- Projection values are presented only in the projection section and are not merged with historical observed or estimated tables.
- Rounded values are marked with “about” where the source display or calculation does not support a precise single-person count.
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Romania demographic data can differ by reference date and population concept. INSSE usually resident population is not the same as the World Bank WDI de facto mid-year estimate. Census counts, resident-population releases, model estimates and projection values should not be merged into one series without a source crosswalk. Urban population depends on source classification. Migration may refer to official resident migration balance, model-based net migration, immigration, emigration or registration timing. Fertility is compared with the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark, not with a country-specific replacement threshold. Broad age shares are not detailed age-by-sex groups, so this page does not produce a full population pyramid. Rounded shares and calculated counts may not sum exactly to the official total.
FAQ
What is Romania’s official population?
INSSE reports a usually resident population of 19,043,151 at 1 January 2025. This is the official resident-population count used for the core population card.
Why does the WDI population number differ from the INSSE number?
The WDI value is a de facto mid-year estimate, while the INSSE value is a usually resident population count at 1 January. The reference date and population definition are different.
Is Romania’s population declining?
Yes. The official resident population declined by 24,425 people between 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2025. The WDI mid-year series also shows a lower 2025 estimate than the selected 1990 peak.
Did migration offset the natural decrease in 2024?
Partly. INSSE reports net international migration of +71,300 and natural change of -100,900 in 2024, so the positive migration balance did not fully offset the natural decrease.
Is Romania’s fertility rate below replacement level?
Yes. The 2024 total fertility rate is 1.39 births per woman, below the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1 births per woman.
Why is there no population pyramid on this page?
A population pyramid requires detailed age-by-sex population rows, usually in 5-year age groups. This page uses broad official age shares and a total sex balance, so it does not create a pyramid from incomplete age-sex data.