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Countries With the Fastest Decline in Population (5-Year Change)

Change in Population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

St. Martin (French part) fell the most: by 21.5%, from 31,786 people to 24,941 people in the five years to 2025. Marshall Islands is second (−15%), followed by Ukraine (−12.8%). 39 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −2.29%.

#1
St. Martin (French part) · −21.5%
Median
−2.29%
Coverage
39 countries
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: 5-year change (%)Bar chart of the top 10: 1. St. Martin (French part) -21.5; 2. Marshall Islands -15; 3. Ukraine -12.8; 4. Kosovo -11.9; 5. Moldova -10.4; 6. Tuvalu -8.72; 7. Northern Mariana Islands -8.39; 8. American Samoa -7.5; 9. Albania -7.08; 10. Serbia -5.07.St. Martin (French part)-21.5Marshall Islands-15Ukraine-12.8Kosovo-11.9Moldova-10.4Tuvalu-8.72Northern Mariana Islands-8.39American Samoa-7.5Albania-7.08Serbia-5.07
Top 10: 5-year change (%). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. St. Martin (French part) -21.5; 2. Marshall Islands -15; 3. Ukraine -12.8; 4. Kosovo -11.9; 5. Moldova -10.4; 6. Tuvalu -8.72; 7. Northern Mariana Islands -8.39; 8. American Samoa -7.5; 9. Albania -7.08; 10. Serbia -5.07.

Full ranking

Countries With the Fastest Decline in Population (5-Year Change), 2025
RankCountryFromTo5-year change (%)
1St. Martin (French part)31,78624,941−21.5%
2Marshall Islands42,70636,282−15%
3Ukraine44,680,00038,980,000−12.8%
4Kosovo1,790,2001,576,900−11.9%
5Moldova2,635,1002,360,500−10.4%
6Tuvalu10,3999,492−8.72%
7Northern Mariana Islands47,52843,541−8.39%
8American Samoa49,76146,029−7.5%
9Albania2,528,5002,349,600−7.08%
10Serbia6,899,1006,549,100−5.07%
11Bosnia and Herzegovina3,299,3003,140,100−4.83%
12St. Vincent and the Grenadines103,53099,924−3.48%
13Belarus9,380,0009,086,000−3.13%
14Puerto Rico (US)3,281,6003,184,800−2.95%
15Poland37,516,00036,436,000−2.88%
16Latvia1,900,4001,847,800−2.77%
17Greece10,699,00010,414,000−2.66%
18Dominica67,57365,871−2.52%
19Virgin Islands (US)106,290103,790−2.35%
20Japan126,260,000123,370,000−2.29%
21Cuba11,176,00010,937,000−2.14%
22San Marino34,77034,109−1.9%
23North Macedonia1,856,1001,820,900−1.9%
24Tonga105,700103,740−1.85%
25Bulgaria6,550,7006,433,300−1.79%
26Mauritius1,266,0001,243,700−1.76%
27Hungary9,670,4009,514,300−1.61%
28Romania19,265,00019,020,000−1.27%
29Russian Federation145,250,000143,510,000−1.2%
30Croatia3,914,2003,876,200−0.971%
31Italy59,439,00058,916,000−0.88%
32Slovak Republic5,458,8005,413,800−0.824%
33Sri Lanka21,919,00021,756,000−0.744%
34Palau17,79217,663−0.725%
35Montenegro626,590623,130−0.552%
36Uruguay3,399,0003,384,700−0.421%
37China1,411,100,0001,406,600,000−0.319%
38Korea, Rep.51,836,00051,685,000−0.291%
39Thailand71,641,00071,620,000−0.029%

About the top 10

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Change in Population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed.

Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Population, total: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN); Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).

Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.