On 1 October 2024 Latvia provisionally had a population of 1,857,400, which is 15,100 people fewer than on 1 January 2024, putting Latvia on track to lose around 1% of its population during the calendar year.
In the first nine months of the year 9,716 children were born in Latvia, which is 1,419 children or 12.7 % fewer than in the same period a year ago. For the first time on record, the number of births did not reach 10 thousand over a period of nine months. The highest number of births – 1,132 – was recorded in July while the lowest – 1,029 – was in February.
One slightly positive trend is that in the first nine months of the year, 19,531 deaths were registered, which is 1,018 deaths or 5.0 % fewer than in the same period a year ago. The registered figure is the smallest for the respective period since 1971.
However the difference between birth and death rates meant that negative natural population change resulted in a population decline of 9,800.
During the first nine months of 2024, 8,374 marriages were registered, which is 537 or 6.0 % fewer than in the corresponding period a year ago and even 320 marriages or 3.7 % fewer than in 2020 when, due to the pandemic, gatherings such as marriages were restricted.
From the second quarter to the third quarter the population declined by 3.5 thousand people (including registered immigrants/emigrants). Natural population decline over the same period was by just over 2,500 people.
