Population change - year 2006

Increase in the number of live births to 105.8 thousands along with the decrease in number of deaths to 104.4 thousands led to the natural increase of population by 1.4 thousands. Including external migration (34.7 ths.) the total increase of population of the Czech Republic in 2006 was 36.1 thousands. The total fertility rate rose to 1.33 children per woman in childbearing age. Also the number of marriages (52.9 ths.) slightly increased, while the numbers of divorces (31.4 ths.) and abortions (40.0 ths.) stagnated.
According to the results of the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic (CR) stood at 10,287,189 as at 31 December 2006. The natural increase was 1.4 thousands; before, the natural increase was positive last time in 1993. The net migration amounted to 34.7 thousands. The number of inhabitants of the CR has been continuously rising for four years, although until 2005 it was only due to foreign immigration. The total increase of population in 2006 of 36.1 thousands was the highest one since establishment of independent Czech Republic in 1993.

The number of live births in 2006 was 105.8 thousands, by 3.6 thousands more than in previous year and the highest number since 1995, when the number of live births fell under 100 thousands for the first time. Total fertility rate increased to 1.33, breaking the "lowest-low" level of 1.3. Most rapid increase was scored by first order fertility rate, to 0,66 first births per woman. However, fertility level remains low, unable to maintain the reproduction of population in long-term view – net reproduction rate, representing the number of girls per woman, surviving until the age of mother, stood at 0,64. Continuing postponement of motherhood towards older ages is documented by the increase in mean age of mothers by 0.3 years, to 28.9 years in total and to 26.9 years at first birth. Outside marriage was born 33.3% of live births (in 2005 the proportion was 31.7%); among first births the figure was even 41.6%. On the contrary, the proportion of premarital conceptions is decreasing: 30.0% of marital first children were born until 8 months after marriage in 2006.

There were registered 104.4 thousands deaths in 2006, i.e. by 3.5 thousands less than in the previous year. The main causes of death are the diseases of the circulatory system and neoplasms, which account for 74% of deaths. The number of infant deaths was 352, the infant mortality rate continued to decrease to 3.3 deaths under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births.

Improvement of mortality conditions mirrored into the increase in life expectancy at birth by more than half a year compared to 2005, to 73.4 years among men and 79.7 among women. Similarly, life expectancy at age 60 rose to 18.2 years for men and 22.3 years for women. Between 1990 and 2006 the life expectancy at birth increased by 5.8 years among men and by 4.3 years among female, which is comparable with the improvement in previous forty years.

The number of marriages was by 1.0 thousand higher than in 2005 and reached the number 52.9 thousands. According to nuptiality life tables, 30% of women and 37% of men would stay single under present age-specific nuptiality rates. The mean age at first marriage was 31.0 years for men and 28.4 year for women, in both cases by 0.3 years higher than in the previous year. The number of divorces stood at 31.4 thousands in 2006, by 127 higher than in 2005. The total divorce rate was 48.7% of marriages ultimately terminated by divorce.

After 17 years the continuous drop of number of abortions stopped – the total number in 2006 of 40.0 thousands was the same as in 2005. At the same time the structure of abortions is changing; while the number of spontaneous abortions increased by 1.1 thousands to 13.3 thousands, the number of induced abortions decreased by 1.1 thousands to 25.4 thousands (77% of them by means of vacuum aspiration technique). Besides, 1.3 thousands of ectopic pregnancies were terminated. The total abortion rate in 2006 was 0.53, the total induced abortion rate was 0.34.

Registered external migration added 34.7 inhabitants to the population of CR. The number of immigrants increased by 7.9 thousands to 68.2 thousands and the number of emigrants also increased, from 9.4 thousands to 33.5 thousands. The net migration thus decreased by 1.5 thousands, compared to 2005. The structure of foreigners by citizenship, who mainly contribute to the population rise of the Czech Republic, remains stable. The highest net migration was reached with Ukraine (13.0 ths.), followed by Slovakia (6.2 ths.) and Vietnam (4.1 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.

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.

All results for 2006 are preliminary.

Related publications: 4001-06 Population of the Czech Republic in 2006
4001-05 Population of the Czech Republic in 2005
4007-06 Population Trends in the Czech Republic 2005