Vital Statistics in Hungary Still in the Negative

According to preliminary data, 6,526 children were born and 10,760 people died in February 2023. The number of births rose by 7.2%, while the number of deaths lessened by 14% and that of marriages by 45% compared to February 2022, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reports.

In February 2023, a total of 6,526 children were born, 7.2% or 436 more than a year earlier. 10,760 people lost their lives, 14% less or 1,690 fewer than in February 2022.

The natural decrease was 4,234, as opposed to 6,360 in February 2022. 1,937 couples got married, which was 45% less or 1,584 fewer than in February 2022.

Between March 2022 and February 2023:
89,752 children were born, 1.6% less or 1,472 fewer than in the previous twelve months. Within this year, the number of births grew by 11% in January–February compared to the same period of 2022.

The total fertility rate was estimated at 1.55 per female, compared to 1.56 calculated for the previous twelve months.

There were 132,590 deaths, 15% less or 22,995 fewer than in the previous twelve months. Within this year, the number of deaths lessened by 12% in the first two months of the year compared to the same period of 2022.

The number of births went down to a lower extent than that of deaths, as a result of which the natural decrease was 42,838, which was 33% lower than the value of 64,361 for the previous twelve months.

61,519 couples got married, 13% less or 9,397 fewer than in the previous twelve months. In the January–February period this year, 45% less marriages were registered than in the same months of 2022.

There were 9.3 live births and 13.7 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.1 per mille points and that of deaths 2.3 per mille points lower than in March 2021–February 2022, as a result of which the rate of natural decrease lessened by 2.2 per mille points to 4.4 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 3.4 per thousand live births, which was approximately the same as the value for the previous twelve months. The marriage rate was 6.4 per mille, 1.0 per mille points lower than in the period a year earlier.