Published on: 23 February 2017

More births, fewer deaths, more moderate natural decrease

According to preliminary data, 93,100 children were born in 2016, 1.5% more than a year earlier. The number of deceases was 126,900, which meant a decrease of 3.6% compared to 2015. The natural decrease was 33,800, 6,207 less than a year earlier.

In 2016, 93,100 children were born, which was 1,410 (1.5%) more than in 2015. The number of births exceeded the value of the previous year only in two months of the first half year but in all of the second one. The most significant decline of 5.5% on average was registered in April–May, and the largest growth of 8.3% occurred in October.

The number of deaths was 126,900 which meant 3.6% or numerically 4,797 fewer deceases than in 2015. In six months of the year more, in six substantially fewer people lost their lives than a year earlier. Taking into account the leap day effect, the decrease was significant, 13% on average in January–April, and 6.2% on average in July–August. In the last four months of the year, the number of deaths exceeded by 6.0% on average the value of the previous year, within this, the number of deceases grew significantly, by 11% in December.

The number of births increased and the number of deaths decreased, thus the natural decrease moderated by 16% from 40,007 in 2015 to 33,800 persons in 2016.

The 51,800 marriages registered were substantially, by 12% or numerically by 5,663 couples more than in the base period. The growth has been continuous since 2011, and the number of marriages was not as high as in 2016 in any of the years since 1996. Except August, more people got married every month than in the same period last year. The increase was the highest in the off-season of February–April, when the adjusted number of marriages was 37% higher on average than a year earlier. At the same time, in August, the peak of the season, a 14% decrease was registered, which was caused by the calendar effect.

There were 9.5 live births and 12.9 deceases per thousand inhabitants. The former was 0.2 per mille point higher and the latter was 0.5 per mille point lower than one year before, as a result of which the rate of natural decrease dropped by 0.7 per mille point to 3.4 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 3.9 per thousand live births, which meant a decrease of 0.3 per mille point year-on-year, and this is the lowest value measured so far in the history of the Hungarian vital events statistics. The marriage rate of 5.3 per mille was 0.6 per mille point higher than a year earlier.

The estimated population number calculated on the basis of the 2011 census taking into account the international migration was 9,799 thousand at the end of 2016.

Main data of vital events, January–December 2016

Vital event Number Change compared to the same period of the previous year, % Per thousand inhabitants Change compared to the same period of the previous year, %
Live birth 93 100 1.5 9.5 1.8
Death 126 900 –3.6 12.9 –3.4
Infant death 365 –4.7 3.9a) –6.1
Marriage 51 800 12.3 5.3 12.6
Natural decrease–33 800 –15.5 –3.4 –15.3

a) Per thousand live births.