Number of births declining at an accelerating rate

Central Statistical Bureau provisional data¹  show that the number of births registered in the first nine months of this year – 10 822 – is 1 741 children or 13.9 % smaller than that recorded in the corresponding period of 2022. Fewer children than in the corresponding month of 2022 were born each month of 2023, moreover, apart from the monthly figures being smaller than a year ago, they also were the smallest in the last 100 years.

Mortality decline observed in the nine months

In the first nine months of this year, 20 312 deaths were registered, which is 2 502 deaths or 11.0 % fewer than in the same period a year ago and 437 deaths or 2.1 % fewer than before the pandemic (i.e., corresponding period of 2019).

The highest number of deaths within the nine months was recorded in January when it was 3 001 (56 deaths or 1.9 % more than in January a year ago). The figure registered in the rest eight months was smaller than that recorded in each of the corresponding months a year ago.

In the nine months of 2023, negative natural population change caused a population decline of 9.5 thousand people.

Marriage number getting closer to the pandemic level

During the first nine months of 2023, 9 095 marriages were registered. Compared to the corresponding period a year ago the number of marriages has dropped by 755 or 7.7 %, while compared to 2020, when fewer marriages were registered because of the pandemic-related restrictions, it has grown by 401 or 4.6 %. 

On 1 October 2023 Latvia provisionally had a population of 1 million 876.4 thousand, which is 14.6 thousand people fewer than on 1 January 2023.

Methodological information

¹ 2023 data are provisional. Final statistics for the previous year is published in June of the running year.

Deaths – provisional number of deaths in the respective month. To produce annual statistics the data are specified by supplementing the death number with the number of persons the death whereof was registered after the national registration deadline (six working days) as well as usual residents of Latvia who passed away while temporarily abroad.

Live births – provisional number of live deaths in the respective month. To produce annual statistics the data are specified by supplementing the birth number with the number of children the birth whereof was registered after the national registration deadline (one month) as well as children born to usual residents of Latvia while temporarily abroad. Children born to parents who are not citizens of Latvia and do not have usual residence in Latvia are excluded from the birth number.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Ance Ceriņa
Social Statistics Methodology Section
E-mail: Ance.Cerina@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366904