Slovenia with lowest number of births per 1,000 in 100 years
Ljubljana, 24 June - A total of 8.4 children were born per 1,000 population in Slovenia in 2022, the lowest since data on live births has been available for the past 101 years, the Statistics Office (SURS) says it its latest release.
Ljubljana
A newborn.
Photo: Gorazd Jukovič/STA
File photo
As many as 17,627 children were born last year, down 7% from 2021, which accounts for 8.4 children per 1,000 residents.
The figure is a result of fewer births coupled with the biggest number of residents since this data has been monitored, SURS says.
Slovenia has witnessed natural decrease every year since 2017, as more people die than are born.
Last year, natural increase was at -4,865, or -2.3 per 1,000 population, the second largest since the end of WWII.
The mean age of mothers at birth did not change since 2019.
It was 31.1 years at all births and 29.6 years at the first birth, both being the highest ages since the end of WWII.
More than half of the children born last year, or 57%, were born to unmarried mothers.
A total of 2,704 children or 15% of all were born to mothers with foreign citizenship, with the Bosnians leading the way (46%), followed by Kosovars (20%).
The list of the most popular baby names was for the first time topped by Mia for girls.
Luka, which topped the list for 22 years until 2021, returned to No.1 boy name for newborns.
Newborn boys were given almost 1,400 different names and newborn girls just over 1,300.