German Demographic Crisis: Birth and Marriage Rates Fall to Decade-Low
German Demographic Crisis: Birth and Marriage Rates Fall to Decade-Low
Germany is seeing significant drops in both births and marriages, reaching their lowest levels since 2013, according to the Federal Statistics Office, Destatis. This trend is particularly noticeable in the eastern regions, where the rates are falling faster than in the west.
Birth Rates Declining Nationwide
Around 693,000 children were born in Germany in 2023, marking a 6.2% decrease from 2022. This number represents the lowest level of births in a decade. The decline is more severe in eastern Germany, where births fell by 9.2%, dropping from 86,227 in 2022 to about 78,300 in 2023. In comparison, the western regions saw a 5.9% decline, from 616,863 to around 581,000. Despite the declining birth rate, the country's population grew by 300,000 to reach 84.7 million by the end of 2023.
Marriage Rates Also Falling
In addition to the decline in births, marriage rates have also dropped sharply. In 2023, around 361,000 couples tied the knot, 7.6% fewer than in 2022. Eastern Germany saw a larger drop of 9.1%, with the number of marriages decreasing from 56,971 in 2022 to about 51,800 in 2023. In western Germany, the decline was smaller but still significant at 7.4%.
The number of marriages in 2023 was the second-lowest recorded since 1950, with only 2021 seeing fewer marriages due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions. This decline in both births and marriages reflects broader demographic changes facing Germany and other developed economies.
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