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Population of Armenia continues to decline

19 October 2018 15:17 (UTC+04:00)
Population of Armenia continues to decline

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Armenia, experiencing a deep demographic crisis, cannot put an end to this terrifying trend.

Despite governmental efforts, depopulation in Armenia remains one of the most serious problems. With high level of poverty and unemployment, as well as the outflow of young people, the country risks being erased from the earth map.

The population of Armenia in the first half of 2018 decreased, reaching 2,97 million people, which is 10,000 less compared to the same period of 2017, the United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA) reported.

"In the first half of this year, 16,189 babies were born in Armenia. Meanwhile, the birth rate in the first half of 2017 was 17,170 people. Armenia has the lowest birth rate compared to the countries of the region," said Tsovinar Harutyunyan, the head of the Armenian Fund representation.

The Armenians well remember the senseless statement that their former president Serzh Sargsyan made last year in the parliament, when he publicly declared his intention to increase the population of the country up to four million by 2040.

Of course, the probability that this program of previous authorities will fail is extremely high. But, that's not the point. The fact is that if demographic situation in Armenia does not improve, the existence of Armenia as a state will be put under question. The country cannot exist without citizens. Contrary to the above-mentioned intentions, the population of Armenia is decreasing and migration is growing.

Total migration, however, is not an unreasonable phenomenon. It is caused by an unsatisfactory economic situation, which nobody could improve in the last decade. Prices in the country do not grow annually, but monthly, while salaries and pensions remain at the same level. On the contrary, in recent years, the Armenian authorities have been implementing various penalties and levies.

Even if the birth rate in Armenia rises sharply tomorrow, the country's population will not be able to reach four million. It is theoretically impossible. About 40,000-50,000 people leave Armenia irrevocably each year. In order to reach the target, firstly, this amount of people should not leave and the same number should immigrate to Armenia. And why it is not possible?

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict completely cancels out the improvement in the life of the Armenians and the growth of the country's population. The Armenian leaders should finally realize that the current doleful state of Armenia stems from its launch of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and there will be no serious improvement in any sphere of the country's political, economical or demographical sectors until the Karabakh problem is resolved.

Thus, the prospect of becoming a four million state seems like nothing, but another fairytale. And speaking frankly, the future of Armenian state, to put it mildly, is somewhat vague.

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