Germany’s Birth Rate Plunges as War, Climate and Covid Deter Parents

Germany’s birth rate fell to the lowest level in more than a decade last year, adding to concerns about how a shrinking workforce may dent the country’s economic prospects.

Figures released Wednesday by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BIB) showed that German women were having 1.36 children on average in fall 2023, compared with 1.57 in 2021.