German statisticians rang the population alarm bells again yesterday, announcing that the country had 65,000 fewer people last December 31 than a year earlier - a statement likely to quicken steps to open the country's doors a little more widely to immigrants.
Germany's population declined to about 82.4mlast year, as deaths (830,000 in 2005) exceeded live births (686,000) by 144,000, oneof the biggest gaps since 1990.
The positive number of new immigrants - 79,000 more people moved to Germany than moved away - was not enough to compensate for the lack of babies.
The new figures coincide with an upsurge in activity in Chancellor Angela Merkel's left-right coalition on the population issue. Hugh Williamson, Berlin
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
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