Birth rate in Serbia positive in only 8 municipalities: 36,029 more deaths than births in 2023

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61,052 children were born in Serbia last year, while 97,081 people died, meaning that the population decreased by 36,029 people, the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (RZS) announced today.

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From 2014 to 2023, the number of inhabitants in our country, based only on population growth, decreased by 434,606. The rate of population growth in Serbia is -5.4 parts parts per thousand, the negative value is reduced by 1.6 parts parts per thousand compared to 2022.

The Belgrade region, as in 2022, had the lowest negative rate of population growth, -2.5 parts per thousand, while the highest negative rate of population growth was recorded in Southern and Eastern Serbia, -7.8 parts per thousand.

Out of the total number of cities and municipalities in Serbia, the rate of population growth last year was positive only in eight municipalities: Tutin, 8.7 parts per thousand, Novi Pazar, 6.9, Sjenica, 2.7, Presevo, 1.0, Kostolac, 0.9 parts, Zvezdara, 0.6, Bujanovac 0.4 and Novi Sad, 0.0, which is four more municipalities compared to 2022.

The number of births was the highest - 18,387 - among women aged 30-34. The average age of women who gave birth last year was 30.4, while the average age of women who had their first child was 29.

In urban settlements, the average age of women giving birth was 31.2, and in other settlements 28.8. The share of live births in urban settlements in the total number of live births was 65.6 percent, and 34.4 percent elsewhere.

The overall fertility rate, i.e. the number of live births per woman in 2023 was slightly lower than the previous year and amounted to 1.61.

By region, the rate of overall fertility was the highest in Sumadija and Western Serbia, 1.68, and Vojvodina, 1.62, while the lowest was the Belgrade region and Southern and Eastern Serbia and amounted to 1.56.

According to the order of birth, in 2023 compared to the previous year, the number of first-born children in the total number of births decreased by 1,312.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)