People participate in the Christmas opening celebration in Helsinki, Finland, Nov. 19, 2022. (Photo by Matti Matikainen/Xinhua)
In 2022, the fertility rate in Finland went down to 1.32 while the first half of 2023 saw a historic low number of new babies in the country.
HELSINKI, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of live births in Finland has hit an all-time low in the first half (H1) of 2023, with only 21,180 babies born during this period, the country's statistics office said in a press release on Thursday.
This is 1,082 fewer births year-on-year and represents the lowest figure since the recording of live births began in 1900, the press release said.
Finland's fertility rate has been declining steadily since the 2010s, when it stood at 1.87. The years 2020 and 2021 were exceptions, with a temporary increase in the number of live births during the pandemic. That was followed by a relapse in 2022, when the fertility rate went down to 1.32.
A woman walks on a snowy street with her child in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 7, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhao Changchun)
"The decline has continued this year, as the total preliminary fertility rate for the last 12 months (from July 2022 to June 2023) was 1.28. The figure is a record low," Joonas Toivola, chief actuary at Statistics Finland, said in the press release.
Despite the downward trend, Finland's population increased by 14,112 people between January and June 2023, largely driven by immigration. During this period, 28,345 people arrived in Finland from other countries, while 5,596 people left Finland to settle elsewhere. Compared to the previous year, thus reversing the negative balance in 2022.
A girl holds a balloon carrying slogan "Do not hate" at the Citizen Square in central Helsinki, Finland on July 28, 2015. People gathered in several Finnish cities on Tuesday to call for protection of multiculturalism and opposition to anti-immigration ideology. (Xinhua/Li Jizhi)
Most of the immigrants came from Ukraine, Russia, the Philippines, and India. With 7,849 people, or 28 percent, Ukrainians constituted the largest group among the immigrants. ■
