Birth rate in Jan-March remains low

A total of 11,635 children were born in the country from January to March 2018, which is 472 fewer than in the corresponding period of 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

The number of deaths from January to March was 14,330, which is 289 lower than one year earlier.

Finland's population at the end of March was 5,513,708. During January-March Finland's population increased by 578 persons, which is 1,134 less than in the preliminary data the year before.

The reason for the population increase was migration gain from abroad: the number of immigrants was 3,273 higher than that of emigrants. There was no natural population growth, since deaths exceeded births by 2,695 persons.

Altogether 6,742 persons immigrated to Finland from abroad and 3,469 persons emigrated from Finland during January-March period. The number of immigrants was 613 lower and the number of emigrants 338 higher than in the previous year. In all, 1,658 of the immigrants and 2,215 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens.

Same-sex marriages took legal effect in March 2017. A total of 30 women and 24 men entered into marriage in which the spouse was of the same sex during January-March period in 2018. In all, 40 women and 27 men changed their registered partnership into marriage.

According to preliminary data by region, the population grew only in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, North Ostrobothnia and Åland in the beginning of 2018.