Over the past thirty years, Romania has undergone some of the most profound and rapid transformations in its modern history. These changes encompass a wide range of areas, including economics, politics, technology, lifestyle, and social and financial behaviors. As a result, the country is now, in many ways, unrecognizable from its previous form, with both positive and negative outcomes.
Back in the day, only a few people had a positive emotional connection to the post-communist Romania, and many couldn't comprehend the full scale of the significant changes that would take place in the subsequent years. Likewise, in contemporary times, Romanians are struggling to imagine how their lives would have turned out if they were of the same age during the turbulent years that followed 1989.
Throughout the three decades of transition, not only have we, citizens of a country striving to catch up with the West, changed. The world around us has also changed at a dizzying pace. All these transformations are reflected in the most intimate aspects of our daily lives. They can be seen even from one generation of Romanians to another.
In this interactive story, you can do a simple exercise. You select the age category you belong to and you can see how your life would have looked statistically speaking if you had been that age in 1990. You can see the evolution of eight indicators for ten age groups, which show you how life choices have changed for women and men over three decades. The indicators are compared by referring to the population of the age group, not the general population of the country, in order to see the granularity of the evolution. In other words, how many people out of 1000 of the same age and gender are: married, divorced, have children, are unemployed, etc. See the description of the indicators here
The age at which young adults tie the knot has significantly increased. In 1990, the average age for girls to get married was 22 years, but presently, it is 28.3 years. Similarly, boys who, in 1990, married at 25 years old now wait until they are 31.6 years old to get married.
Nowadays, women and men alike are opting to become parents after turning 30 years old. In comparison to the 90s, the number of women giving birth before the age of 30 has reduced by half.
The number of people who divorce before the age of 40 has halved, while the number of those who divorce after this age has increased.
There has been a significant increase in the number of young adults opting for higher education, as the percentage of individuals pursuing such studies has doubled.
Individuals aged 70 years and above are experiencing a better quality of life, as mortality rates have halved.
Select an age group
15-19 years
The young generation born at the start of the third millennium has grown up amidst the most significant technological advancements, while those who were of the same age in 1990 witnessed the early years of democracy during their adolescent years. Both generations experienced swift transformations in their country, society, and the world during their adolescence and the initial stages of adulthood.
Marriage
15-19 years
Back in 1990, if you were a teenage girl, there was a strong possibility of getting married by the age of 20, with nearly 30% of marriages involving wives under the age of 20. However, boys didn't marry at such an early age. After three decades, there has been a considerable transformation, with only 5% of marriages in a year having wives under the age of 20.
Parenthood
15-19 years
Three decades ago, women tended to become mothers at a relatively young age, but now, it's common for children to be born later in a couple's life. Despite the 30-year gap, Romania continues to face an issue concerning underage mothers. In 1990, approximately 10% to 15% of children born in the country were from underage mothers.
Divorces
15-19 years
If for boys under the age of 20 the divorce rate has remained very low, for girls it has decreased compared to 1990.
College
15-19 years
There has been a rise in the number of boys and girls under the age of 20 enrolling in college immediately after completing high school. The increase for girls has been more significant, with the number of female students rising from 37 to 99 per 1000 girls in this age group. This change can be attributed to a more open society, the postponement of family plans, and young Romanian women's growing focus on pursuing higher education and career prospects.
Unemployment
15-19 years
In 1996, the unemployment rate in this age group was nearly 24% for boys and 33% for girls. The most spectacular difference between the current unemployment rate and that of the 1990s is recorded precisely in this age group. In 2021, the unemployment rate for boys was 42.7%.
Discouraged from finding a job
15-19 years
This age group has observed a considerable drop in the number of individuals feeling demotivated while seeking employment. With technological advancements and the opening of borders, young people have become more confident in exploring job opportunities, and they are receiving ample support in this direction.
Permanent emigrants
15-19 years
Compared to the 90s, the rate of young people in this age group who permanently leave the country has increased fourfold. They are those who either choose to study abroad or leave for work abroad after turning 18. It is also a consequence of the much greater freedom of movement and opportunity that young Romanians enjoy, compared to those of their age immediately after the Revolution.
20-24 years
Those aged between 20 and 24 years old were children during the 2008 crisis, but they certainly felt the crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic which affected them just as they were preparing to enter the labor market. Those who were between 20 and 24 years old in 1990 also experienced a major societal change, the transition to democracy, just as they were transitioning from high school to college or from college to the job market.
Marriage
20-24 years
This was the age group where most people got married in 1990. Out of 1000 women aged between 20 and 24, 58 got married in 2021, which is half the number of those who got married in 1990. For men, the numbers have decreased four times in this age group over the last 30 years.
Parenthood
20-24 years
During the 1990s, most women became mothers at the age range of 20 to 24 years old, accounting for 45% of live births during that time. However, this age group currently experiences the sharpest decline in the age at which they start having children. Nowadays, many Romanians prefer to delay parenthood.
Divorces
20-24 years
The number of divorces among spouses aged between 20 and 24 has decreased significantly since the 90s. Today, 3 out of 1000 women in this age group get divorced in a year, and 1 out of 1000 men.
College
20-24 years
If they are not getting married and having children like their counterparts from three decades ago, Romanians aged 20-24 are more likely to choose to study. Today, the rate of those enrolled in university in this age group is twice as high as in the '90s.
Unemployment
20-24 years
There are no significant fluctuations regarding the unemployment rate compared to then for this age group. In the case of men, unemployment has increased by three basis points compared to 1996.
Discouraged from finding a job
20-24 years
Technological advancements and open borders have greatly benefited the younger generation. As a result, the percentage of young people in this age group who feel discouraged about employment has decreased by half.
Permanent emigrants
20-24 years
Unlike the previous age group, in the case of these young people, the number of those who permanently leave the country has remained relatively constant.
25-29 years
Nowadays, young people in this age group are beginning to consider starting a family. In the 1990s, on the other hand, this was already a common occurrence, and many individuals in this age group had already become parents before the age of 30.
Marriage
25-29 years
This is the predominant age group in which women today choose to get married. In 1990, 24 out of 1000 women aged 25 to 29 got married. Today, almost three times as many women of this age group get married in a year.
Parenthood
25-29 years
TIn modern times, men are not as likely to become fathers at this age compared to the past. Meanwhile, women are only starting to consider the idea of having a child.
Divorces
25-29 years
Compared to the 90s, today only 6 out of 1000 Romanian women aged 25 to 29 get divorced. For men in this age group, the divorce rate is even lower. In the 90s, however, this age group had the highest divorce rate.
College
25-29 years
The rate of university enrollment among this age group has not changed significantly from 1995 to the present day.
Unemployment
25-29 years
As with the previous age group, the unemployment rate has remained relatively constant compared to 1996 for this age group as well.
Discouraged from finding a job
25-29 years
Today, 13 out of 1000 women aged 25 to 34 feel discouraged from finding a job, compared to 21 in 1996. A decrease is also visible in the case of men.
Permanent emigrants
25-29 years
Contrary to popular perception, the rate of permanent emigration has remained constant for this age group in recent decades.
30-34 years
The current generation has successfully adjusted to the numerous social changes that have taken place over the last three decades as they have grown up with them. Conversely, individuals belonging to the same age group in the 90s were born roughly ten years after the establishment of communism in Romania and only experienced the Revolution when they were already mature with an established lifestyle.
Marriage
30-34 years
In recent times, both men and women have opted to postpone marriage until later in life. In 1990, only 10 out of 1000 women between the ages of 30 and 34 got married, whereas in 2021, 32 women in the same age group tied the knot. Similarly, the number of men in this age group who got married increased from 19 per thousand in 1990 to 44 in 2021.
Parenthood
30-34 years
30+ is the age at which most women become mothers. In 2021, there were 86 live births per 1000 women aged 30 to 34. This is a significant difference compared to three decades ago.
Divorces
30-34 years
Following the Revolution, men in the aforementioned age group experienced the highest rate of divorce. However, over time, the number of divorces for this demographic has decreased from 9 per 1000 men aged 30-34 annually to 6.
College
30-34 years
The college enrollment rate decreases as micro-generations get older. Although it has increased slightly compared to 1995, this rate remains the lowest among all age groups. 15 out of 1000 women aged 30 to 34 are currently enrolled in college, as well as 13 men in the same age group.
Unemployment
30-34 years
The unemployment rate for women in this age group has decreased from 7.4% in 1996 to 4.7% in 2021.
Discouraged from finding a job
30-34 years
There has been an almost 50% reduction in the number of women in this age group who feel discouraged when it comes to job hunting. Additionally, a similar decrease has been observed for men.
Permanent emigrants
30-34 years
Today, three out of 1000 young adults aged 30 to 34 permanently leave the country.
35-39 years
The present-day individuals belong to the first wave of Millennials who have now reached adulthood. Those who were in their thirties during the 90s constructed their lifestyles based on the values and attributes of a communist society.
Marriage
35-39 years
Like with other age groups, the number of marriages per 1000 inhabitants in the 35-39 age category has significantly increased, doubling in the last 30 years.
Parenthood
35-39 years
In comparison to 1990, a higher number of children are now being born to parents in the aforementioned age group. On average, there are 41 births per year for every 1000 women aged 35 to 39, while for men, the rate is 57 births per 1000 men in the same age group.
Divorces
35-39 years
This age group does not show significant variations in the divorce rate compared to the 90s.
Unemployment
35-39 years
There has been an almost 50% reduction in the unemployment rate among women in this age group.
Discouraged from finding a job
35-39 years
The rate of men who feel discouraged to find a job in this age group remained constant. Only for women, it decreased slightly.
Permanent emigrants
35-39 years
As with the previous age group, three people out of 1000 in this age group leave Romania permanently.
40-44 years
The present-day individuals belong to a generation that was born during a time when abortions were prohibited and restrictions were numerous. On the other hand, those who were in the same age group in 1990 were born around the time when communism was established in Romania and only experienced freedom and democracy later in life.
Marriage
40-44 years
In the last 30 years, the marriage rate within this age group has nearly doubled. Nonetheless, the values are still low compared to the younger age groups. In 2021, out of 1000 women aged between 40 and 44, only 9 got married, while for men in the same age category, 11 out of 1000 tied the knot.
Parenthood
40-44 years
Although fertility significantly decreases after the age of 40, the number of Romanians in this age range who become parents is higher than in the 90s. Part of the explanation lies in cultural developments, but an even bigger part is given by the evolution and greater accessibility of fertility treatments.
Divorces
40-44 years
After the age of 40, visible changes in the divorce rate are recorded. 7 women out of a 1000, as well as the same number of men aged 40-44, got divorced in 2021.
Unemployment
40-44 years
Between 40 and just over 50 years old, the unemployment rate has remained constant in recent decades.
Discouraged from finding a job
40-44 years
There are no significant changes recorded in this age group when it comes to the rate of those who feel discouraged to find a job. Moreover, in the case of men, the rate remained identical to that of 1996.
Permanent emigrants
40-44 years
After the age of 40, the rate of those who leave the country permanently has increased in 2021 compared to the first years after the Revolution. Today, three people out of 1000 aged between 40 and 44 leave the country permanently.
45-49 years
Today's adults were still in their adolescence or towards the end of it during the Revolution. Those who were between 45 and 49 years old during the Revolution experienced democracy in the second half of their lives.
Marriage
45-49 years
After the age of 45, the number of those who choose to get married is low, compared to other age categories, and the variations, although positive, are insignificant compared to the other age groups.
Parenthood
45-49 years
For women, the conception rate in this age group is very low. As for men, one child is born per thousand men aged between 45 and 49.
Divorces
45-49 years
Five women out of a thousand aged between 45 and 49 got divorced in 2021, compared to three in 1990. In the case of men, this rate has evolved over the last 30 years from 4 to 6.
Unemployment
45-49 years
Stability is a significant factor for this age group, and they exhibit low tolerance for risks. Most of them prefer to continue with the same job until retirement, if possible.
Discouraged from finding a job
45-49 years
TThe rate of individuals in this age group feeling discouraged to find a job has relatively small fluctuations, as they are in a life stage where their career is not prone to significant changes.
Permanent emigrants
45-49 years
The number of individuals permanently leaving Romania has increased as they get older, but it still remains lower compared to younger age groups.
50-54 years
Today's individuals aged 50-54 had experienced the Revolution while entering the workforce. However, those who were in this age group during the Revolution were born before, or even at the beginning of World War II. The Revolution of 1989 brought a complete change to their perception of the final years until retirement.
Marriage
50-54 years
Romanians who get married in the second half of their lives are few. Only four women and five men out of a 1000 people aged between 50 and 54 and of the same gender got married in 2021.
Divorces
50-54 years
After the age of 50, the divorce rate is lower compared to other age groups, but there are still noticeable increases compared to the 90s, especially for men.
Unemployment
50-54 years
The unemployment rate for this age group has increased in 2021 compared to the '90s. It has increased more for men than for women, from 2.9% to 4.2%.
Discouraged from finding a job
50-54 years
Unlike other age groups, for people over 50, the rate of those who feel discouraged to find a job has increased compared to the 90s.
Permanent emigrants
50-54 years
The rate of those who leave the country permanently has remained relatively constant.
Mortality
50-54 years
The mortality rate for this age group has decreased compared to 1990. The decrease is higher for men.
55-59 years
A significant number of individuals that belong now to this age group had already started families before the Revolution. Those who belonged to this age group during the Revolution were born in the 1930s, a time when Europe was affected by the Great Depression and the rise of Nazism.
Marriage
55-59 years
After the age of 55, it is very rare for both men and women to get married in Romania, compared to the population in this age group.
Divorces
55-59 years
The divorce rate has increased for both men and women in the age group of 55 to 59. In 2021, three out of every thousand men in this age group got divorced, compared to two in 1990. Similarly, the divorce rate for women in this age group increased from two to three over the past 30 years.
Unemployment
55-59 years
For this age group, the unemployment rate has increased at least three times compared to 1996.
Discouraged from finding a job
55-59 years
This period poses challenges for individuals who lose their job, as they may face difficulty in finding new employment due to their age or educational background not keeping up with technological advancements. Consequently, the rate of job seekers in this age group feeling discouraged has increased compared to the 90s.
Permanent emigrants
55-59 years
Here things haven't changed much in 2021 compared to 1992. The rate of those who leave the country permanently remained constant.
Mortality
55-59 years
The mortality rate for this age group has remained constant.
over 60 years
The current generation consists of individuals who were at least 30 years old during the Revolution, and had to adjust to the new social norms while raising their children. On the other hand, those who were in the same age group during the Revolution experienced democracy during their retirement years.
Marriage
over 60 years
This is, predictably, the age group with the fewest marriages reported per 1000 people over the age of 60.
Divorces
over 60 years
It is also the age group with the lowest values of the divorce rate.
Unemployment
over 60 years
After the age of 60, people who want to search for a job are vulnerable. The unemployment rate a few years before retirement has increased from 0.2% to 2.4% for women, and from 0.6% to 4.3% for men.
Permanent emigrants
over 60 years
After the age of 60, the rate of those who permanently leave the country has decreased compared to the 90s.
Mortality
over 60 years
The mortality rate for individuals aged 75 and above has seen a significant decrease, with advancements in medicine and prevention playing a crucial role in extending their life expectancy.
Description of the indicators
Marriage - the number of marriages performed per year, categorized by age group and gender of the spouses, and reported to the population of the corresponding sex and age group. The value is expressed as the number of marriages per 1000 people of the same sex and age group.
Divorce - the number of divorces in a year by age group and sex of the spouses reported to the population of the same age group and sex (divorces/1000 persons of the same age group and sex).
Children - number of live births by age group and sex of parents reported to the population and sex of the age group to which the parents belong (live births/1000 people of the same age group and sex).
College - the number of students enrolled in undergraduate programs at a given year, broken down by age group and gender and reported as a ratio to the population of the same age group and gender (undergraduate students/1000 people of the same age group and gender).
Unemployment rate - The unemployment rate represents the proportion of unemployed people, according to the international definition (ILO*), in the active population. *According to the criteria of the International Labour Organization.
Discouraged from finding a job - are inactive individuals who are available to work in the next two weeks, who have stated that in the past four weeks they have searched for work using passive methods or that they are not actively seeking work for the following reasons: they believed that there were no job openings or they did not know where to look; they do not feel professionally prepared; they believe they will not find work due to their age; they have searched before and not found work.
Permanent emigration - the number of Romanians who have permanently left Romania, reported by age group and gender (permanent emigrants/1000 people in the same age and gender group).
The mortality rate is the number of deaths within a specific age and sex group, reported to the population of the same age group and sex (deaths/1000 persons of the same age group and sex).