During the first nine months of 2019, 14,130 births were registered, which is 550 children fewer than in the same period of 2018. A decline in the birth number is observed for the fourth year in a row.
The number of deaths has been fairly stable during recent years –at around 28 thousand deaths annually. Until the end of September of this year, 20,787 deaths were registered, which is 829 deaths fewer than in the nine months of the previous year.
While deaths still outweigh births, the gap between the two did close slightly. So far in 2019 the population balance is -6,657. In the same period last year it was -6,936, though in 2017 the equivalent number was -5,639 and in 2016 it was -4,641.
On 1 October 2019, population of Latvia provisionally constituted 1,910,000 people. The indicator has declined by 0.5 % since January.
Over the nine months of 2019, 10,571 marriages were registered, which is 472 marriages fewer than in the respective period a year ago. During the past three years, marriage number has stabilised – on average 13 thousand marriages are concluded annually.