Fewer deaths, declining natural decrease
According to preliminary data, in the first quarter of 2018, the number of live births was 1.9% and that of deceases was 6.0% less than in the same period of 2017. As a result, the natural decrease was 1,933 (11%) fewer than in January–March 2017. In March 2018, the number of live births was 5.3% less and that of deceases was 12% more than a year earlier. The natural decrease was 5,935 persons, 1,836 more than in March a year earlier.
In March 2018:
7,106 children were born, 395 or 5.3% less than in March 2017.
The number of deceased people was 13,041, which meant an increase of 12% or numerically 1,441 more deceases compared to March of the previous year.
The number of deaths increased and that of births dropped, as a result of which natural decrease was 5,935 as opposed to 4,099 in March 2017, which meant an increase of 45%.
The number of marriages decreased, and the number of 2,709 marriages registered was by 52 (1.9%) fewer than the figure in March 2017.
In January–March 2018:
21,731 children were born, by 413 (1.9%) fewer than in January–March 2017. In January 0.5% more, in February 0.8% and in March 5.3% less children were born than in the corresponding months of 2017.
The estimated total fertility rate was 1.45, the same as the value calculated for the same period in the previous year.
36,623 people died, which meant a decrease of 6.0% or numerically 2,346 fewer deceases than in the same period of the previous year. In January 2018, 22% and in February 4.2% less deaths occurred than in the previous year, but in March, the number of deaths increased by 12%.
The number of deaths decreased to a larger extent than that of live births, as a result of which natural decrease fell from 16,825 in January–March 2017 to 14,892 persons, which meant an improvement of 11%.
The number of marriages was 0.5% or numerically 32 fewer than the one registered in the same period last year. In January and in February, the number of marriages increased by 0.6% on the average, while in March it fell by 1.9%.
There were 9.0 live births and 15.2 deceases per thousand inhabitants. The former was 0.1 per mille point and the latter was 0.9 per mille point down on the value in January–March 2017, as a result of which the rate of natural decrease fell by 0.8 per mille point to 6.2 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 3.4 per thousand live births in the first three months of 2018, which was about the same as a year earlier. The marriage rate of 2.5 per mille did not change compared to the one a year earlier.
Main data of vital events, January–March 2018
| 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 | 21 731 | –1.9 | 9.0 | –1.6 |
| Death | 36 623 | –6.0 | 15.2 | –5.8 |
| Infant death | 73 | –1.4 | 3.4a) | 0.5 |
| Marriage | 6 080 | –0.5 | 2.5 | –0.3 |
| Natural decrease | –14 892 | –11.5 | –6.2 | –11.3 |
a) Per thousand live births.
The number of births changed to different extents in the regions; it increased in two and decreased in five regions, while it was unchanged in one region. The rise was the most considerable in Western Transdanubia (–4.7%) and the most significant fall was registered in Central Transdanubia (–6.1%).
The number of deceases decreased in every region, the most in Western Transdanubia (9.4%) and the least in Northern Great Plain and Pest region (3.3%).
The pace of natural decrease lessened in all regions. The most significant fall (–24%) was registered in Western Transdanubia because of the increase in the number of births and the above average decline in the number of deaths.
The number of marriages increased in three and decreased in five regions. The largest increase was registered in Central Transdanubia (7.3%) and the largest decrease in Southern Great Plain (–8.3%).
Main data of vital events by region, January–March 2018
| Region | Live birth | Death | Marriage | Natural decrease | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | |
| Budapest | 3 614 | 1,4 | 5 864 | –7,1 | 1 023 | 3,3 | –2 250 | –18,1 |
| Pest | 2 887 | 0,0 | 4 229 | –3,3 | 697 | –2,1 | –1 342 | –9,6 |
| Central Transdanubia | 2 205 | –6.1 | 4 023 | –4.2 | 693 | 7.3 | –1 818 | –1.8 |
| Western Transdanubia | 2 094 | 4.7 | 3 579 | –9.4 | 534 | –0.7 | –1 485 | –23.8 |
| Southern Transdanubia | 1 808 | –5.5 | 3 590 | –8.1 | 585 | 5.2 | –1 782 | –10.6 |
| Northern Hungary | 2 777 | –5.2 | 4 788 | –6.1 | 759 | –2.7 | –2 011 | –7.3 |
| Northern Great Plain | 3 536 | –3.7 | 5 356 | –3.3 | 968 | –2.9 | –1 820 | –2.4 |
| Southern Great Plain | 2 639 | –0.7 | 5 064 | –7.1 | 745 | –8.3 | –2 425 | –13.2 |
| Totalb) | 21 731 | –1.9 | 36 623 | –6.0 | 6 080 | –0.5 | –14 892 | –11.5 |
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.
b) Including data which can't be broken down by regions.