EU population growth caused by migration

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - The population of the European Union has increased due to migration during 2017, the EU statistical office revealed on Tuesday

It rose to 512.6 million as of Jan. 1, 2018 from 511.5 million last year, according to Eurostat.

"During the year 2017, more deaths than births were recorded in the EU (5.3 million deaths and 5.1 million births), meaning that the natural change of the EU population was negative. The population change (positive, with 1.1 million more inhabitants) was therefore due to net migration," Eurostat said in a statement.

Germany is the most populated member country of the bloc with 82.9 million residents, or 16.2 percent of the total EU population.

Population numbers increased in 19 member countries and decreased in nine during 2017. The largest annual rise was seen in Malta (+32.9 per 1,000 residents), followed by Luxembourg (+19.0 per 1,000 residents), Sweden (+12.4 per 1,000 residents).

Eurostat revealed that 5.1 million babies were born in the EU in 2017, almost 90,000 down from the previous year.

The highest birth rates were recorded in Ireland with 12.9 per 1,000 residents while the lowest were registered in Italy with 7.6 per 1,000 residents.

"In the meantime, 5.3 million deaths were registered in the EU in 2017, 134,200 fewer than the previous year," it said.