Latvian death rate twice its birth rate in 2021

In total, Latvia registered 34,142 deaths in 2021. That is the highest number of yearly deaths in the past 20 years, the statistical office of Latvia, CSB reported.

According to CSB, the death rate in the Eastern European country had been going down since 2005. The Covid pandemic changed that trend. In 2020, the death rate went up by 4 per cent, compared to 2019. In 2021, however, the number of annual deaths skyrocketed with a growth of 18 per cent. The most significant increase happened in October and November. During these months, the number of deaths was 24 per cent higher than in the average months of 2021.

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On the other hand, only 17,115 children were born. That number is one of the lowest in the past 100 years. CSB explains that the population of reproductive age is declining. Therefore, the number of births continues to fall. In 2021 2.5 per cent fewer children were born compared to 2020. On 1 January 2021, the estimated population in Latvia was 1,873,000.

Furthermore, CSB reports that more people got married in 2021. In total, 11,231 marriages were registered. That is an increase of 5 per cent, compared to 2020. CSB explains the difference by pointing at the pandemic restrictions which came into force in 2020.

However, during the last six years before the Covid crisis, more than 12,000 marriages were registered per year. Therefore, it can be concluded that the pre-Covid level of marriages has not yet been achieved.