Demographic Change: Complexity as a Challenge for Urban and Regional Development

Abstract

Increasing parts of Europe have been (and will continue to be) affected by demo-graphic change that is characterised, among other things, by a deficit of births and an aging of its population. While some European countries have experienced natural growth rates up to now, populations in other countries have only increased as a result of foreign migration. And other countries – in particular the new EU Member States – have already begun to experience a decline in population. Germany’s population has been decreasing since 2003. Since then, net-migration has not been sufficient to compensate for sub-replacement fertility.