The European Union's population, which currently stands at around 446 million is expected to decline by 6% by 2100, the bloc's statistical office said Thursday.

The population of the bloc began recovering in 2022 from a COVID-19-related decrease in 2020-2021, according to the latest population projections issued by Eurostat in a statement.

Also, the mass influx of refugees from Ukraine into the EU as a result of the Russian war helped the increase in projections which are estimated to have reached 451 million on Jan 1.

Furthermore, the EU's population is projected to peak at 453 million people in 2026, before decreasing to a projected level of 420 million in 2100, it said.

From 20% at the start of 2022 to 18% by 2100, the percentage of children and young adults (aged 0 to 19) in the total population is expected to decline, according to the data. Similar to this, it is anticipated that the proportion of people in the EU who are working age (between the ages of 20 and 64) will drop from 59% in 2022 to 50% in 2100.

The proportion of older age groups (defined as those 65 or later) in the EU's overall population, on the other hand, is anticipated to rise, it said. The percentage of people 65 to 79 years old is predicted to increase from 15% at the start of 2022 to 17% in 2100, and the percentage of people 80 and older is predicted to more than double, from 6% to 15%.

The findings are predicated on assumptions of a partial convergence of fertility, mortality, and migration trends across EU countries, the Eurostat said.