Greece population pyramid 2026
9,897,116 people in 2026 (projected). Greece has recorded more deaths than births every year since 2011, and its pyramid is now widest at ages 45–59, with under-fives less than half that size.
- 2026 population
- 9.9Mrank 96 of 237
- Median age
- 47.1 yearsoldest rank 12
- Fertility rate
- 1.34births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older24.7% age 65+
Greece population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Greece age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 12.6% of the population, while 24.7% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 62.7% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Greece’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 59.5: about 60 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (20.0 children and 39.4 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Greece’s population pyramid
From occupation to emigration
The 1950 pyramid still carries the imprint of the 1940s. The 5–9 band, born in 1941–45, is narrower than the bands on either side, coinciding with the Axis occupation and the famine of 1941–42, and women outnumber men at every age above 15 after a decade of war and civil war. Over the next quarter-century large numbers of Greeks left to work in West Germany, Australia and North America. Return migration and, in the 1990s, large arrivals from Albania and other neighbouring countries largely offset that outflow, so the UN estimates net migration across 1950–99 at only about +64,000.
The low-fertility shift of the 1980s
Fertility stayed between about 2.3 and 2.6 children per woman until 1980 and then fell sharply, to about 1.5 by 1990 and 1.3 by 2000. That turning point is the defining feature of the 2026 pyramid. The cohorts born in the late 1960s and 1970s, now aged 45–59, are the largest in the country, and every five-year group below them is smaller, with the narrowest at the base. The 0–4 band holds about 350,000 children, compared with about 770,000 people aged 55–59, a constrictive pyramid in its most typical form.
The population peaked at about 11.1 million in 2010. Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2011, and the onset of natural decline coincided with the financial crisis, a period of substantial emigration; over 2000–2023 as a whole about 210,000 more people left than arrived. In 2026 there are roughly 1.9 deaths for every birth.
More young men than young women
An unusual detail sits in early adulthood. At ages 20–34 there are about 109–112 men per 100 women, a larger surplus than the sex ratio at birth (about 106) would produce. Uneven migration by sex could account for it, but the chart alone cannot establish the cause. From the fifties onward the familiar female majority takes over, with 74 men per 100 women at 80–84.
Under the medium scenario, which assumes modest net immigration, the population falls to about 8.8 million by 2050 and 6.3 million by 2100, and more than a third of residents are 65 or older from mid-century. Greece’s current profile is closest to Portugal, Spain and Italy, a group compared directly in Italy vs Spain.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Greece’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2011. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 1995 and 2000.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Greece is projected to record 67,361 births (about 184 births a day) and 124,937 deaths, a natural decrease of 57,576. Net migration adds +14,649 people, ranking #60 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 2,376,264 births, 2,784,566 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −209,613. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +234,852 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 84.7 years68.1 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 79.9 years64.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 20.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 2.6per 1,000 births · 51 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 3.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 32.3 yearssex ratio at birth 106.4
Women in Greece are projected to live 4.8 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 51 to 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #211 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 32.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Greece
The median age of 47.1 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.34 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,897,116 | #96 | Largest first |
| Median age | 47.1 years | #12 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.34 | #204 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.4% | #202 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 82.4 years | #39 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 24.7% | #10 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Greece
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55–59 | 770,121 | 7.8% | 368K / 402.1K |
| 2 | 50–54 | 759,269 | 7.7% | 370.8K / 388.5K |
| 3 | 45–49 | 757,583 | 7.7% | 376.8K / 380.8K |
| 4 | 60–64 | 683,675 | 6.9% | 319.3K / 364.3K |
| 5 | 40–44 | 643,512 | 6.5% | 322.7K / 320.8K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Greece has 4,798,448 males and 5,098,667 females. That is 94.1 males per 100 females, ranking #190 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.5% of the population and females for 51.5%. There are 300,219 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 76.2 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.4 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Greece has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 7,651,079 in 1950 to 9,897,116 in 2026, a change of 29%. Over the same span, median age moved from 24.6 to 47.1 years.
The under-15 share changed from 29.0% to 12.6%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 6.8% to 24.7%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Greece’s population is projected to decline by about 11%, reaching 8,812,070 in 2050. The median age changes from 47.1 to 49.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 9.9 percentage points to 34.6%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 12.2%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 11,124,670 in 2010. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7,651,079 | 24.6 | 2.57 | 66.2 | 155,669 | 71,824 | −22,206 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 8,384,492 | 27.5 | 2.29 | 70.5 | 166,519 | 62,312 | −15,996 | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 8,747,776 | 32.3 | 2.44 | 72.7 | 146,092 | 73,901 | −54,166 | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 9,653,414 | 32.8 | 2.30 | 74.5 | 151,877 | 85,989 | +47,460 | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 10,258,487 | 35.0 | 1.47 | 77.3 | 108,433 | 91,509 | +26,294 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 10,782,635 | 37.0 | 1.33 | 78.4 | 106,714 | 104,966 | +54,661 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 11,124,670 | 40.3 | 1.48 | 80.6 | 114,952 | 110,514 | +2,001 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 10,699,369 | 44.3 | 1.39 | 81.5 | 84,746 | 122,913 | +6,353 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 10,242,908 | 45.7 | 1.33 | 81.9 | 73,661 | 127,018 | −159,430 | -2.1% |
| 2024* | 10,047,817 | 46.3 | 1.34 | 82.0 | 71,411 | 126,046 | −122,772 | -1.8% |
| 2026* | 9,897,116 | 47.1 | 1.34 | 82.4 | 67,361 | 124,937 | +14,649 | -0.4% |
| 2030* | 9,721,984 | 48.5 | 1.36 | 83.1 | 65,807 | 122,898 | +12,889 | -0.5% |
| 2040* | 9,275,613 | 50.4 | 1.39 | 84.6 | 71,399 | 122,704 | +7,819 | -0.5% |
| 2050* | 8,812,070 | 49.9 | 1.41 | 85.8 | 67,181 | 126,813 | +6,847 | -0.6% |
| 2060* | 8,203,170 | 50.4 | 1.44 | 87.0 | 55,740 | 128,351 | +7,079 | -0.8% |
| 2070* | 7,550,900 | 51.6 | 1.46 | 88.2 | 54,456 | 119,638 | +4,150 | -0.8% |
| 2080* | 7,040,432 | 51.1 | 1.47 | 89.3 | 54,420 | 100,275 | +3,944 | -0.6% |
| 2090* | 6,666,803 | 51.1 | 1.48 | 90.3 | 48,143 | 88,063 | +3,492 | -0.6% |
| 2100* | 6,275,576 | 52.3 | 1.50 | 91.4 | 43,986 | 88,961 | +3,661 | -0.7% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 181,345 | 169,488 | 350,833 | 3.5% |
| 5–9 | 215,138 | 202,414 | 417,552 | 4.2% |
| 10–14 | 244,423 | 230,883 | 475,306 | 4.8% |
| 15–19 | 277,649 | 262,606 | 540,255 | 5.5% |
| 20–24 | 275,029 | 251,169 | 526,198 | 5.3% |
| 25–29 | 262,099 | 234,409 | 496,508 | 5.0% |
| 30–34 | 258,870 | 235,714 | 494,584 | 5.0% |
| 35–39 | 268,033 | 266,589 | 534,622 | 5.4% |
| 40–44 | 322,692 | 320,820 | 643,512 | 6.5% |
| 45–49 | 376,761 | 380,822 | 757,583 | 7.7% |
| 50–54 | 370,750 | 388,519 | 759,269 | 7.7% |
| 55–59 | 368,022 | 402,099 | 770,121 | 7.8% |
| 60–64 | 319,345 | 364,330 | 683,675 | 6.9% |
| 65–69 | 291,477 | 346,926 | 638,403 | 6.5% |
| 70–74 | 253,591 | 303,043 | 556,634 | 5.6% |
| 75–79 | 214,733 | 269,563 | 484,296 | 4.9% |
| 80–84 | 149,755 | 202,304 | 352,059 | 3.6% |
| 85–89 | 94,874 | 153,219 | 248,093 | 2.5% |
| 90–94 | 42,471 | 83,677 | 126,148 | 1.3% |
| 95–99 | 10,345 | 26,140 | 36,485 | 0.4% |
| 100+ | 1,046 | 3,933 | 4,979 | 0.1% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Greece’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Portugal97% overlap · median age 47.2
- Spain97% overlap · median age 46.3
- Italy97% overlap · median age 48.6
- Isle of Man96% overlap · median age 46.3
- Bermuda96% overlap · median age 46.4
- Slovenia96% overlap · median age 45.0
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Greece.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Greece Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/greece/
MLA
“Greece Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/greece/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Greece Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/greece/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Greece in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Greece's population in 2026 is projected at 9,897,116.
What is the median age in Greece?
The projected median age in Greece in 2026 is 47.1 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Greece?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.34 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Greece's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 11%, from 9.9M to 8.8M.
What share of Greece is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 24.7% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 34.6%.
How many babies are born in Greece each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 67,361 births and 124,937 deaths in 2026, about 184 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 57,576.
What is life expectancy in Greece for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 84.7 years for women and 79.9 years for men, a gap of 4.8 years in favour of women.
Does Greece have more immigrants or emigrants?
Greece is projected to gain about 14,649 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −209,613.
What is the sex ratio in Greece?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 94.1 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.