Finland sees slight increase in birth rate amid declining mortality and sustained immigration

In a promising sign for Finland's demographics, the birth rate has shown a slight uptick in the first half of 2024. From January to June, 21,719 children were born, representing an increase of 465 births compared to the same period last year. This ma

By: helsinkitimes.fi

Jul 25 2024
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Finland sees slight increase i

In a promising sign for Finland's demographics, the birth rate has shown a slight uptick in the first half of 2024. From January to June, 21,719 children were born, representing an increase of 465 births compared to the same period last year. This marks a positive shift after a prolonged period of declining birth rates throughout the 2010s.

Senior Statistician Joonas Toivola from Statistics Finland provided context for this development.

"Throughout the 2010s, we experienced nine consecutive years of declining birth rates. There was a brief recovery during the COVID-19 years of 2020 and 2021, but it did not sustain beyond those two years. Now, the decline has halted again. However, it's too early to predict if this will turn into a long-term trend," Toivola explained.

Contributing to the population growth is a decrease in the mortality rate. According to Senior Statistician Joni Rantakari, "The number of deaths continues to decline. Last year, the death rate was slightly lower than in 2022, and this downward trend has continued into 2024."

Immigration Remains a Key Driver of Population Growth

Immigration continues to play a crucial role in Finland's population growth. During the first six months of the year, 27,247 people immigrated to Finland, while 6,051 people emigrated. Among the immigrants, 2,881 were Finnish citizens, with the majority coming from outside the European Union.

"Net immigration has decreased significantly but remains high. This decrease is mainly due to the reduced number of immigrants from Russia and Finland compared to the same period last year. Notably, immigration from Russian citizens has dropped by 48%," Rantakari detailed.

Conversely, there has been a notable increase in immigrants from Nepal, and Ukrainian immigration has maintained its high level. "The largest group of immigrants in the first half of the year, accounting for 29%, were Ukrainian citizens. Finnish citizens comprised the second-largest group at 11%, followed by Filipino citizens at 7%," summarized Toivola.

As Finland navigates its demographic challenges, the slight rise in birth rates and the steady stream of immigrants offer a nuanced picture of the country's population dynamics. While it is premature to declare a reversal in the declining birth trend, these indicators provide a glimmer of hope for the future.