Age pyramid will diametrically change position by 2050

A study made by the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family shows that the age pyramid will diametrically change its position by 2050. Minister of Labor Valentina Buliga said the problem of population’s structure by age affected already more than half of the country’s territory and the speed at which this structure modifies is worrisome, Info-Prim Neo reports. Even if the persons aged between 16 and 56 prevail in Moldova’s population of 3.56 million, the number of elderly persons increases at an alarming rate, while the number of children has decreased. The current age pyramid has a narrow base, showing that few babies are born, said the minister. According to the most pessimistic scenario, the population will diminish and age dramatically by 2050. If fertility remains at the current level and the number of elderly people continues to rise, Moldova’s population will fall to 2.6 million. The humbler of active grownups will decease significantly so that the ratio of persons of working age to children and elderly people will be 100:80. Until 2050, there will dominate persons aged between 55 and 70. Eleven districts in Moldova already reached the critical aging rate (the elderly represent 16% of the population), while another 15 districts reached a grave aging rate (12%). The European Commission declared 2012 as the European Year for Active Aging and Solidarity between Generations.