The common factor for most of these countries is that their growth began the reverse abruptly in the recent past. In the 1980s, in the case of Hungary,1990s for Bulgaria and Romania; about now for Yugoslavia, and Greece.Yugoslavia also suffered a temporary setback during 1980-1990 and is again declining now.

Both Hungary and Bulgaria are shrinking so sharply that they seem destined to become considerably smaller they were in 1950. Bulgaria may reduceits population to less than half its present size.

See how these events are reflected in the age profiles.