Germany People Profile 2012

The population of the Federal Republic of Germany encompasses all the inhabitants whose usual place of residence is within the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, i.e. it includes all the foreigners registered in this territory. The Federal Republic of Germany is a densely populated country. Approximately 82 million inhabitants live here, which corresponds to a population density of 230 persons per square kilometre. The comparative figure for the European Union is 116.
The population development is subject to various factors of influence. Births and deaths determine the number of the population just as much as migrations across the borders of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The data on the foreign population come from two different sources, that is current population statistics and the Central Register on Foreigners.
Between population censuses, current population statistics is the only source available for a comprehensive picture of the total population in Germany and its subdivisions and, consequently, of the German and the foreign population. However, current population statistics does not show all variables for foreigners. Therefore, official statistics also uses data of the Central Register on Foreigners, e.g. data on citizenship, duration of stay, and residence status of foreigners.
Due to different definitions, the stock data on foreigners from the Central Register on Foreigners and from current population statistics differ from each other. Generally, numbers of foreigners from the Register must be smaller than those from current population statistics becaus the Register covers only foreigners living in Germany not just on a temorary basis. After the register was adjusted in the period 2000 to 2004, the differences have considerably increased. It is therefore not possible to directly compare the results for the foreign population from the two sources.
By looking at the age structure of the population it is possible to predict the proportional development of the younger generation to the older one. The Federal Republic of Germany is characterized already today - as are most of the industrialized countries - by a rather low number of the young generation. Life expectancy (in the former territory of the Federal Republic and in the New Länder) is growing, causing a permanent shift in the age structure towards older people. Model calculations on population development show that in just a few years there will be more people aged 65 years and over in Germany than persons aged 15 years or under.
The development of births, but also marriages and divorces mirrors a society's attitude towards the family and children. Low numbers of births and a declining propensity to get married also affect the size of households, which have shown a decreasing tendency in the Federal Republic of Germany for years. Households with more than 5 persons have become very rare, while the number of one-person households is growing continually. There is an above-average number of one-person households especially in large cities.