Births in Spain fall to 337,380 in 2021, the lowest figure in 80 years

CHILDREN

The number of births fell by 1.2% in Spain in 2021 to 337,380, 3,935 fewer than in 2020, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). It specifies that this is a new low since the beginning of the historical series, in 1941, 81 years ago.

In recent years there has been a downward trend in the number of births. Since 2008, when the figure reached 519,779, the figure has fallen gradually, with a small rise one year.

Specifically, 494,997 births were registered in 2009; 486,575 in 2010; 471,999 in 2011; 454,648 in 2012; 425,715 in 2013; 427,595 in 2014; 420,290 in 2015; 410,583 in 2016; 393,181 in 2017; 372,777 in 2018; 360,617 in 2019; 341,315 in 2020; and 337,380 in 2021.

On the other hand, the number of deaths decreased by 8.7% in 2021 compared to the previous year. A total of 450,744 people died, 43,032 fewer than in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, when the maximum since the beginning of the series in 1941 was recorded. Thus, Spain had a negative natural increase of 113,364 persons in 2021. However, this difference between births and deaths decreased by 39,097 persons with respect to the previous year, when the most negative balance since data has been recorded, with 152,461 persons. At the same time, during the year 2021, 24,957 Catholic marriages were celebrated, 15,293 more (+158.2%) than in 2020, when the minimum of the series was recorded, with less than 10,000.

However, excluding 2020, when many weddings were postponed due to the pandemic, there has been a decline in the number of marriages in the Church in recent years. Thus, compared to the 152,067 that were celebrated in 2001, in 2011 there were 62,977 and they fell by almost half again in 2019, with 34,615. As a percentage of the total, Catholic marriages accounted for 17% of all marriages between people of different sexes in 2021, while in 2011 they accounted for almost 40%, and in 2001, 73%.

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