Analytics, Demography, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Society

The number of live births in Latvia in 2014 as compared to 2013 grew by 1 150 newborns, in Lithuania – by 484, and in Estonia – by 20 newborns.

Number of live births in the Baltic States (2011 –2014)

The highest birth rates in the Baltic States were registered between 1985 and 1987, when twice as many babies were born as today. 58.5 thsd babies were born in Lithuania in 1985; in turn, 42.1 thsd and 25.1 thsd babies were born in Latvia and Estonia in 1987. Respectively, total fertility rate or the average number of children that would be born to a woman during her lifetime provided that the birth-rate of the given year remained at the previous level, was 2.2 in Latvia, 2.1 in Lithuania, and 2.3 in Estonia. The desired rate in order to allow normal generation replacement is 2.1 – 2.2. 

In 2014, total fertility rate in Latvia as compared to 2013 increased by 0.13, and was the highest among the Baltic States – 1.65. In 2014 total fertility rate in Estonia was 1.54, in Lithuania – 1.63.

Like in other European Union countries, where in 2013 as compared to 2012 total fertility rate decreased and accounted on average for 1.55 (with the highest rate in France – 1.99, the lowest in Portugal – 1.21), also in the Baltic States this indicator is still too low for normal generation replacement.

Total fertility rate in Latvia (2005 – 2014)

Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia show great difference in the number of children born in families, where parents have not officially registered their marriage. In 2014, 29% of children in Lithuania, 44% of children in Latvia, and 59% of children in Estonia were born outside marriage.

The average age of mother at childbearing kept increasing in 2014. The average age of mother at childbearing in Latvia was 29.9 years (at first childbearing – 27.2 years), in Estonia – 29.6 years (at first childbearing – 26.6 years), in Lithuania – 29.4 years (at first childbearing – 27.0 years).

Data on key fertility indicators in 2014 are available in the CSB database section Population: fertility, but in the first half of 2015 preliminary birth rates were published in press release of 21.07.2015 In the first half of 2015 the number of marriages grew by 544 cases.

Data on Estonia are available in the database of Statistics Estonia Population indicators and composition.

Data on Lithuania are available in the database of Statistics Lithuania Population.