Europe’s age divide: Boomers dominate as youthful generations lag behind

A generational map of Europe paints an 'unpleasant' picture of a continent growing older, with Baby Boomers now the largest demographic group in most European countries. According to the map, nations from Portugal to Poland are led—numerically, economically, and politically—by citizens born between 1944 and 1964.

Colour-coded for clarity, the map shows a vast sea of orange representing countries where Boomers have become the largest generation. Meanwhile, smaller patches of green and yellow indicate where Generation X (1965–1979) and Millennials (1980–1994), respectively, still hold demographic dominance.

The dominance of the Boomer generation in most of Western, Southern, and Central Europe is no surprise. Decades of lower birth rates, longer life expectancy, and the mass aging of the post-war generation have shifted Europe’s demographic center of gravity.

Countries like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain now have Boomers as their largest group, many of whom are retired or approaching retirement. This trend poses significant challenges: shrinking workforces, increasing pressure on healthcare and pension systems, and growing intergenerational economic disparity.

Yet not all of Europe is marching in step with the aging trend. Sweden, Albania, Ukraine, and Turkey stand out in bright yellow as countries where Millennials are still the largest generation. This could be a result of more robust birth rates in the 1980s and 1990s, immigration trends, or outflows of older generations.

Meanwhile, the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe remain dominated by Generation X, shown in green. These countries appear to be the demographic "middle ground"—not as young as the Millennial-led nations, but not as elderly as their Boomer-heavy neighbours.