Birth rate in Latvia falls sharply

In the first nine months of this year, 9 716 newborns were registered in Latvia, which is 12.7% or 1 419 fewer than in the corresponding period of 2023, according to preliminary data published by the Central Statistical Office.

The statistics office also notes that for the first time in nine months the number of births in Latvia has not reached 10 000.

This year, the highest number of births was in July – 1 132 children, while the lowest number of births was in February – 1 029.

However, the number of births in Latvia has dropped by 22.9% or 4 300 in five years.

Among them, the percentage of newborns born to mothers who were seeking for work or economically inactive decreased by 28.1% or 1 100 compared to 2019, while 22% or 3 100 fewer children were born to employed mothers.

In the Riga region, the number of newborns to employed mothers decreased by 25.7%, in Zemgale – by 20.5%, in Latgale – by 19%, in Kurzeme by 18.8%, and in Vidzeme by 15.2%.

The data also show that 19 531 deaths were registered in the first nine months of 2024, which is 5% or 1 018 fewer than in the first nine months of last year.

The statistics office also points out that this is the lowest number of deaths registered in the period since 1971.

Of the nine months of the year, only July and February had more deaths than last year – 20 and three more deaths respectively – while the other months had lower death rates than last year.

Thus, the number of deaths recorded in the first nine months of this year exceeded the number of births by 9 815, while the number of deaths exceeded the number of births by 9 414 in the same period last year.

In the first nine months of 2024, 8 374 marriages were registered in Latvia, a decrease of 6% or 537 marriages compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of marriages has also decreased by 3.7%, or 320 marriages, compared to 2020, when restrictions on assembly were in force.

On the 1st of October this year, the provisional population of Latvia was 1.857 million.