Birth rate falls for 8th year in row, death rate ups

The birth rate fell for the eighth year in a row in 2018 while number of deaths increased from the previous year, according to Statistics Finland.

At the fertility rate prevailing in 2018, a woman would give birth to an average of 1.41 children.

A total of 47,577 babies were born in 2018, which is 2,744 fewer than in the year before.

In 2018, the total fertility rate measuring the birth rate was the lowest of all times. The birth rate fell clearly from the previous year, when the figure was 1.49.

The birth rate has been falling throughout the 2010s and the decline has become steeper after 2015. Before 2017 and 2018, the birth rate was at its lowest in 1973, when the total fertility rate was 1.50 per woman.

Since 1969, the birth rate has been below the population regeneration rate, which is 2.1 children per woman.

First-time fathers were aged 31.4 years, on average. The average age of all men who became fathers was 33.5 years. Data on fathers are based on population data in the statistical reference period, according to which a father is recorded for nearly 98 per cent of children in the Population Information System.

A total of 47,577 persons were born in 2018. In all, 5.5 per cent, or 2,744 fewer children were born than in 2017.

Birth rate highest in Seinäjoki and lowest in Helsinki

In municipalities with at least 50,000 inhabitants, the birth rate was highest in Seinäjoki, where the total fertility rate was 1.70 in the five-year period of 2014 to 2018. The second highest rates were found in Porvoo, 1.70 and Espoo, 1.66. The figure for the whole country in the five-year period was 1.56.

Respectively, the birth rate was lowest in the period 2014 to 2018 in Helsinki, where the total birth rate was 1.23. The rate was 1.26 in Turku and 1.29 in Tampere.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths increased in 2018 from the previous year.

According to Statistics Finland, a total of 54,527 persons died in 2018, which is 805 more than in 2017.

Average life expectancy at birth was 78.9 years for boys and 84.3 years for girls in 2018. The life expectancy increased slightly for both boys and girls compared with 2017.