Population change - 1. quarter of 2007

In the first quarter of 2007 the population of Czech Republic increased by 19.5 thousands, while most of the increase was driven by external migration with balance of 19.2 thousands, natural increase was due to higher fertility and lower mortality positive on number 325 persons. The number of inhabitants thus exceeded the border of 10.3 millions, under which it descended in 1997. The number of live births of 26,9 thousands was the highest of all winter trimesters since 1995.
According to the results of the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic stood at 10,306.7 thousands as at 31 March 2007. The difference between live births and deaths was 325, the increase by migration was 19.2 thousands. The number of inhabitants thus has been continuously rising for five years. As compared to 31 March 2006 the population increased by 48.8 thousands.

The number of live births in January to March 2007 was 26.9 thousands, by 2.2 thousands more than in the comparable period of previous year. Total fertility rate adjusted for seasonal effects increased to 1.41, which is the highest level since 1994 (when it was 1.44). Under this trend the overall number of live births in 2007 would exceed 110 thousands. The mean age of mothers further increased by 0.1 years, to 29.0 years in total and to 27.0 years at first birth. In the maximum of fertility are now women born in 1978, the second child is being most frequently born to cohort 1976. Outside marriage was born 34.1% of live births (in 2006 the proportion was 33.3%); among first births the figure was 43.4%. Since 2007, the characteristics of father are recorded also for non-marital births. In January to March, there was stated information about father for 69% of non-marital live births, while for 31% of them, no information about father was stated.

There were registered 26.6 thousands deaths in first three months of 2007, and alike previous winter also this year’s winter was without outbreak of influenza, i.e. without seasonal mortality divergence. The main causes of death remain the diseases of the circulatory system and neoplasms, which account for 76% of deaths. The number of infant deaths was 80, the infant mortality rate continued to decrease to 3.0 per 1,000 live births.

The number of marriages was by 395 higher than in the first quarter of 2006 and it reached the number 5.3 thousands. However, the first quarter is the least popular period for weddings, when only about 10% of marriages are being planned. In early 1990s the marriages were distributed much more evenly across the year (first trimester amounting to around 20%), and the following decline in nuptiality touched especially cold months of October to April, while in summer months there are now taking place more marriages than 15 years ago.

The number of divorces stood at 7.6 thousands in first trimester of 2007, but this figure is not fully comparable to that in 2006. Since 2007 the divorces are classified not by the date of report but by the date of legal liability of the divorce. The new classification is methodologically more accurate, but the gap between preliminary and definite numbers of divorces can be higher.

The number of abortions of 10.5 thousands was comparable to that in first quarter of 2006. The change in structure of abortions by kind proceeded: the number of induced abortions decreased by 263 to 6,673, the number of spontaneous abortions increased by 226 to 3,525.

Registered external migration added 19.2 thousands inhabitants to the population of the Czech Republic, while 23.3 thousands immigrated and 4.1 thousands emigrated. The highest net migration was reached with citizens of Ukraine (6.7 ths.), Vietnam (2.6 ths.) and Slovakia (2.5 ths.).

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Notes:
Contact person: Kryštof Zeman, PhD, phone: (+420)274054067, e-mail: krystof.zeman@csu.gov.cz
Data sources: Demographic statistics – results of processing statistical reports of Obyv series (notifications of the entry into marriage, of birth, of death, of divorce).
Migration data – Alien Information System (Alien and Border Police Service) and the Central Population Register Record (Ministry of Interior).
Abortions – Institute of Health Information and Statistics.
All data refer to the resident population of the Czech Republic, irrespective of citizenship. Since 2001, the figures include (in accordance with the Population and Housing Census 2001) foreigners with long-term stay (i.e., the stay based on visa over 90 days, as stipulated by Act No. 326/1999 Coll.) and foreigners with granted asylum status (in compliance with Act No. 325/1999 Coll.). Since 1st May 2005, in accordance with amendment No. 326/1999 Coll., the figures include citizens of the European Union with temporary stay on the territory of the Czech Republic, and citizens of other countries with long-term stay. The data contain also information on events (marriages, births and deaths) of permanent residents of the Czech Republic that occurred abroad.
All results for 2007 are preliminary.
Related publications: 4001-07 Population of the Czech Republic in 2007
4001-06 Population of the Czech Republic in 2006