Population change - year 2014

According to the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic increased by 25.9 thousand to 10,538.3 thousand during the year 2014. It was the highest increase after 2010. The number of live births exceeded the number of deaths (by 4.2 thousands), as well as immigrants exceeded emigrants (by 21.7 thousands). However, the process of population ageing continued, the average age of inhabitants increased (by 0.2 to 41.7 years), as well the proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (to 17.8%).

According to the preliminary data, the number of live births increased in the year-on-year comparison by 3.1 thousand to 109.9 thousand. It is the highest number over the last four years. This increase also had an impact on the level of fertility, which was according to the preliminary results 1.53 children per women, while in the year 2013 it was 1.46. The average age of women at childbirth remained at the level of 29.9 years. Women at age between 29 and 31 delivered the most often. The share of children born outside marriage increased in all orders. In the total, it increased from 45.0 to 46.7% between years 2013 and 2014.

During the year 2014, according to the preliminary data, 105.7 thousand inhabitants died. It was the lowest number over the last six years. It is a reflection of the low number of deaths in the first months of the year which went with no epidemics of respiratory diseases. The number of deaths of children aged less than one year was 263, infant mortality rate was historically the lowest at the level 2.4 out of 1,000 live births. The low number of deaths led to an increase in life expectancy at birth, by about 0.5 year (from 75.2 for males and 81.1 for females in 2013).

The number of marriages was in the year 2014 by 2.1 thousand higher than in the year 2013, which remained as the year with historically the lowest number of marriages. In the total 45.6 thousand men and women entered into marriages in the year 2014. The highest number of marriages entered into was in August (8.8 thousand) thanks to five Saturdays in the month, which are the most preferable day for getting married. The second one was June (8.5 thousand). In total 67.5% newly married couples consisted of two single persons so far. At the first marriage, the most common age for grooms was 29 years and for brides 27 years.

According to the preliminary data there were 26.8 thousand marriages ended in divorce in the year 2014. It was the number by 1.1 thousand lower than in the previous year. The highest number of divorced marriages was noticed at 6 years after marriage and most often concerned men and women aged at 39-40 years. Divorces with minors were 57% of the total number of divorces and 23.1 thousand children were living in these families. In 2014 the total divorce rate was 46.7% according to the preliminary results that was slightly lower than in 2013. Mean age of marriage at divorce increased by 0.1 to 13.1 years.

The number of abortions was by 0.7 thousand lower in the year 2014 than in the previous year. A total of 37.0 thousand abortions were registered, from which 13.9 thousand belonged to the group of spontaneous abortions; 21.9 thousand were induced abortions and 1.2 thousand cases were ectopic pregnancies. A year-on-year decrease was noticed in the group of induced abortions (by 0.8 thousand) but spontaneous abortions were slightly more numerous (by 149). The share of induced abortions in the total number was the lowest (59.2%) since 1958, when it was authorized to proceed to the request of woman.

The number of inhabitants of the Czech Republic increased during the year 2014 by 21.7 thousand thanks to the positive balance of net migration. The number of immigrants was 41.6 thousand; it was the highest number after 2008. The number of emigrants was 20.0 thousand, by 10.9 thousand fewer than in 2013. Citizens of Ukraine dominated in both directions. Besides Ukrainians, citizens of Slovakia and Russia were the most frequent immigrants and citizens of the Czech Republic and Vietnam belonged to the most frequent emigrants. The highest migration balance was registered with citizens of Slovakia (5.6 thousand), Ukraine (4.0 thousand) and Russia (3.1 thousand). The balance of net migration was negative (-0.8 thousand) for Czechs.