Population change - 1st - 3rd quarter of 2005

The period of Jan-Sept 2005 saw the population rise by 25.9 thousand, to 10 246.5 thousand as at 30 September 2005, which again resulted from the positive net migration amounting to 28.0 thousand. The number of live births was by 3.8 thousand higher than in 1st- 3rd quarter of 2004. The number of marriages was also a bit higher; on the contrary, the number of divorces was significantly lower.

According to the results of the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic stood at 10 246 522 as at 30 September 2005. In the period of January-September, the population rose by 25.9 thousand, whereas during the first nine months of 2004, the population rose only by 3 thousand. The total increase was positive again only due to active net migration, amounting to 28.0 thousand (as against 8.3 thousand in the same period of 2004). The natural decrease was relatively low in the first three quarters of the year: the number of deaths was by 2.1 thousand higher than the number of live births. It was 5.3 thousand in the corresponding period of 2004. Even in 2004, the population decrease by natural change was significantly lower than in the previous years. The cause of the diminution of the population decrease in the last two years were both the higher numbers of live births and lower numbers of deceased persons.

The number of live births amounting to 78.3 thousand in the first three quarters of the year was already by 3.8 thousand higher as against the first three quarters of 2004 – the comparison of the updated data for the 1st quarters showed the difference 0.7 thousand, for the 1st half-years 2.3 thousand. The present difference amounting to 3.8 thousand corresponds with the 2004-increase, which was the highest one since 1974. In spite of the four years uninterrupted increase of the numbers of live births, the fertility of Czech women remains low from the long-term and international view. There were 24.6 thousand live births born outside marriage in the first nine months, which represent 31.5 per cent of all live births. It was 30.5 per cent in the first nine months of 2004. The share of live births born to unmarried women exceeds fifty per cent in some districts (Most – 59.8 %, Sokolov – 53.2 %, Bruntál – 51.3 %). On the contrary, the lowest values are below twenty per cent (Žďár nad Sázavou – 18.0 %, Uherské Hradiště – 18.1 %, Zlín – 18.6 %).

There were registered 80.4 thousand deaths in the first three quarters of 2005, i.e. by six hundred more than in the corresponding period of 2004. Of all deaths, 51.1 per cent were caused by disease of circulatory system, 26.0 per cent by neoplasm, and the third most frequent class of causes of death were external causes (5.8 per cent), which include for example traffic accidents, falls, suicides, homicides and other. The number of infant deaths (deaths under 1 year of age) in 1st - 3rd quarter 2005 was a bit lower than a year ago, which in association with the higher number of live births resulted in lower infant mortality rate (3,4 per mille).

The number of marriages entered into during the period of January-September amounting to 43.1 thousand was by more than 0.4 thousand higher than in the same period of 2004, whereas the number in the 1st half-year 2005 compared to 1st half-year 2004 was lower. Nevertheless, the present level of nuptiality remains low. In the first three quarters of the year, there were registered 23.5 thousand divorces and it was by 1.6 thousand less than a year ago. The divorces of marriage with minors amounted to 14.5 thousand of the total number of divorces (61.7 per cent). Approximately one fifth of men and women have got divorce for at least second time. About half of marriages ultimately terminate by divorce in the Czech Republic, and this share classed the Czech Republic among European countries with the high level of divorce rate.

The decreases (continuous since 1988) in the number of abortions and subsequently in the abortion rate have been continuing in 2005. The total number of abortions in the first nine months of 2005 was by 1.1 thousand lower than in the corresponding period of 2004. Of 30.0 thousand all abortions, 19.9 thousand were legally induced abortions (20.8 thousand in the Jan-Sept 2004) and 9.1 thousand were spontaneous abortions (9.2 thousand in the Jan-Sept 2004).

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Note:
Data source: Demographic statistics – results of processing statistical reports of Obyv series (notifications of the entry into marriage, of birth, of death, of divorce); the migration data source is the Alien Information System and the Central Population Register Record. Czech Statistical office receives data from Alien and Border Police Service and the Ministry of Interior. Abortion data source is the Institute of Health Information and Statistics.

All data for 2005 are preliminary.

Related publications:

4001-05 Population of the Czech Republic in January-September 2005
4001-04 Population of the Czech Republic in January-September 2004
4019-05 Demographic Yearbook of the CR 2004
4002-05 Life Tables for the CR and Regions 2004
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Contact:

Miroslav Šimek, phone: (+420) 274052184, e-mail: miroslav.simek@csu.gov.cz
Terezie Kretschmerová, phone: (+420) 274054063, e-mail: terezie.kretschmerova@csu.gov.cz