Ukraine

Ukraine's population has plummeted from 45.4 million in 2020 to 32.9 million—a 28% decline in just three years, the steepest of any country on this list, even faster than Italy's 1.2% cumulative drop. War-driven displacement has cost 6.2 million people, with 603,550 square kilometers remaining under government control; this is 1.4 times larger than Poland's, but with 12% fewer people per square kilometer. Despite these losses, Ukraine still ranks eighth, a testament to its pre-war status as Europe's breadbasket, exporting 30% more grain than the typical European rival.