Births kept declining in 2023

Central Statistical Bureau provisional data show that the number of births keeps reducing in Latvia: 14 121 children were born in 2023, which is 11.5 % or 1 833 children fewer than in 2022. The smallest number of births was registered in Q4 2023 when 2.7 % or 92 children fewer than in Q4 2022 were born. Fewer births than in the corresponding month of 2022 were registered 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 close to the pre-pandemic levels

Last year, 27 724 deaths were registered, which is 3 007 deaths or 9.8 % fewer than in 2022 and 5 deaths more than in 2019 (i.e., before the pandemic). Since 2021, when due to the COVID-19 we had the highest number of deaths in the past 20 years, the figure has fallen by 19.9 % or 6 876. The sharpest drop was registered in Q1 2023 – 11.8 % compared to Q1 2022.

Deaths exceeding births twice for the third year in a row

There have been two times more deaths than births every year since 2021. The 2023, when the number of deaths exceeded the number of births by 13 603, was no exception. The biggest gap between the figures – 17 180 – was registered in 2021. Latvia has had a negative natural increase since 1990.

Number of marriages gone down by 9.2 %

In 2023, 10 762 marriages were registered, which is 9.2 % or 1 086 marriages fewer than a year ago. The number of marriages was growing gradually since 2020, however in 2023 only 60 marriages more than in 2020 (when due to the pandemic restrictions on gatherings were imposed) were registered.

On 1 January 2024 Latvia provisionally had a population of 1 million 873 thousand, which is 18.5 thousand people fewer than on 1 January 2023.

IRS010c Population and key vital statistics
IMV010w Deaths in regions by sex and age group
Online data tool depicting statistics for births and deaths from 1920 to 2022
The methodology used to process provisional data is outlined in the official statistics portal reference metadata section Fertility and mortality.

Methodological information

Deaths – a provisional number of deaths in the respective month. To produce annual statistics the data are specified by supplementing the number of deaths with people 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 – a provisional number of live deaths in the respective month. To produce annual statistics the data are specified by supplementing the number of births with 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. The children born to parents who are not citizens of Latvia and do not have usual residence in Latvia are excluded from the number of births.

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