Singapore faces unprecedented demographic crisis as fertility rate plummets to 0.87, the lowest on record. With only 27,500 resident births in 2025, the city-state confronts severe economic headwinds. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong warned that the citizen population could begin shrinking by the early 2040s without intervention. The aging population is accelerating rapidly, with one in five citizens now aged 65 and older, compared to one in eight just a decade ago. Population growth slowed to just 0.7% in 2025 despite immigration efforts. Falling marriage rates and declining birth rates among married couples are compounding the challenge. These demographic shifts will have profound implications for Singapore's labor force, healthcare systems, pension obligations, and economic competitiveness in the coming decades.
