Population change - 1st - 3rd quarter of 2007

In the third quarter of 2007 the number of live births further increased. Together with the decrease in number of deaths the natural increase in first nine months of 2007 scored almost ten thousands. Adding the net migration of 52.4 thousands the population of the Czech Republic increased to 10,349.4 thousands. The number of marriages was affected by an attractive date 07/07/2007, when on one single day record-breaking 4.4 thousands of couples have been married.
According to the results of the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic stood at 10,349,372 as at 30 September 2007, the highest figure since the late 1980s. Due to the increase in the number of live births and decrease in the number of deaths there was the natural increase of population by 9.8 thousands inhabitants during the first to third quarter of 2007; it might be thus expected that the overall number in 2007 will be the highest since 1981. But the number of inhabitants rose mainly thanks to the positive foreign migration which amounted to 52.4 thousands. The total increase of population of the Czech Republic was 62.2 thousands as compared to 1st January 2007.

In this year the number of live births substantially increased, compared to the period of January to September 2006 it was by 6.3 thousands higher and reached the total of 86.4 thousands live births. The value of total fertility rate is 1.42 so far, by almost tenth more than in the last year. The increase in fertility levels is accelerating, but the revival of the fertility will probably not last long; within five years, after the populated cohorts of women born in the 1970s will finish their reproductive span, the absolute numbers of births will start to decline again. The mean age of mothers grew compared to 2006 by 0.2 to 29.1 years in total, and to 27.1 years as for first births.

The proportion of births outside marriage remains high. There were recorded 34.4% of live births born to non-married mothers in analysed period; among first births the figure was 43.9%. From 29,698 children born outside marriage, for 8.4 thousands of them there was no information recorded about father (9.7% of total live births).

In the first to third quarter of 2007 there were registered 76.6 thousands deaths, i.e. by 1.8 thousand less than in the same period of the previous year. The infant mortality accounted to 3.0 died infants per 1,000 live births. Since 2007 the place of death is being newly recorded. During January to September, 17% of deaths happened at home, 61% at hospitals, 8% in other medical institution, 5% at social welfare facility (retirement home), 2% on the street (public place) and 7% at other place.

The number of marriages was affected by an attractive date 07/07/2007, when 4,382 marriages has been concluded, according to the preliminary results. Monthly number for July (10,663) thus exceeded 10 thousands for the first time since June 1989. Despite the compensative decline in the two following months, the overall number of marriages in first nine months of 2007 was 48.1 thousands, by 3.3 thousands more than in the comparative period of 2006. The popularity of weddings has thus risen, however only the future will show whether this was the temporary or long-term phenomenon.
The number of divorces in first three quarters of 2007 was 23.2 thousands, comparable number to that in the last year. Nevertheless, the definite number for 2007 will be probably higher, because since this year the divorces are classified not by the date of report but by the date of legal liability of the divorce and the definite number thus will increase compared to preliminary one by about 2 thousands.

The number of induced abortions performed in January to September 2007 was by 142 lower than in the last year. From the total number of 30,385 abortions, 62% were induced abortions (18,965), which absolute number and proportion is decreasing. On the contrary, the number of spontaneous abortions (10,391) as well as the number of terminations of ectopic pregnancies (1,029) is slowly increasing during the last two years.

Registered external migration recorded 66.9 thousands of immigrants and 14.5 thousands of emigrants during analysed period. In comparison with previous years the number of immigrants increased and at the same time the number of emigrants decreased. As a result, in 2007 the population of the Czech Republic increased due to legal migration by 52.4 thousands so far, that is twice more than in the same period of 2006. The increase was driven predominantly by citizens of Ukraine (20.7 ths.), Slovakia (7.3 ths.) and Vietnam (6.1 ths.). According to the data from Alien and Border Police there were 376,210 foreigners living legally in the Czech Republic as of 30 September 2007; i.e. 3.6% of population of the Czech Republic.

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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 also 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 2004, 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 January – September 2007
4001-06 Population of the Czech Republic in 2006