Birth rate dips slightly in Jan-Jun of 2018

A total of 23,726 children were born in Finland in January to June this year, which is 1,144 fewer than that in the corresponding period of 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

The number of deaths was 27,432 in the first six months of this year, e.g., 374 lower than that in the stipulated period of the previous year.

The total population of the country at the end of June stood at 5,516,343. From January to June, the population had increased by 3,213 persons or 2,783 persons less than that in the preliminary data of population increase in the corresponding period of last year.

The reason for the population increase was migration gain from abroad: the number of immigrants was 6,919 higher than that of emigrants. There was no natural population growth, since deaths exceeded births by 3,706 persons.

Altogether 13,787 persons immigrated to Finland from abroad and 6,868 persons emigrated from Finland during the January-June period. The number of immigrants was 1,109 lower and the number of emigrants 904 higher than that in the first half of the previous year. In all, 4,013 of the immigrants and 4,381 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens.

Same-sex marriages took legal effect in March 2017. A total of 84 women and 54 men entered into marriage in which the spouse was of the same sex during the January-June period of this year. In all, 82 women and 48 men changed their registered partnership into marriage.