Finland is registering a slight rebound in births in 2020 compared to previous years, in which the birth rate plummeted. However, that is not enough to compensate for the deaths, which are many more, according to the latest official figures published. Only immigration allows the country to continue gaining population.
Statistics Finland's preliminary data show that during January-July, 27,072 children were born across the country, which is 709 higher than in the corresponding period of 2019. At the same time, the number of deaths in the first seven months of 2020 was 32,050, which is 509 higher than one year earlier.
The result of comparing both figures is not positive: the number of births was 4,978 lower than that of deaths.
Migration gain
And still, the country's population increased by 5,414 people during January-July. "The reason for the increase was migration gain from abroad, since immigration exceeded emigration by 10,480," the Finnish statistical office says in its latest statement on population figures.
Source: Statistics Finland.
According to the preliminary statistics for July, 16,165 people immigrated to Finland from abroad in January-July and 5,685 people emigrated.
Finland had 5,530,706 inhabitants at the end of July.
Sudden drops
The number of immigrants was 1,957 lower and the number of emigrants 3,377 lower than in the corresponding period of the previous year. Such sudden drops may be related to movement limitations caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In all, 5,378 of the immigrants and 3,568 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens.
According to the preliminary data, the number of inter-municipal migrations totaled 155,158 during January-July. Compared with the corresponding period in 2019, the increase was 2,827 migrations.
