Finland gained population in the first half of the year. And it did, according to Statitics Finland, due to the "migration gain from abroad." Between January and June, more children were also born than in the same period of the previous year, which could mean at the end of the 2020 - if this trend continues - a change after several years of declining birth rates.
Finland's population at the end of June was 5,528,855. During January–June Finland's population increased by 3,563 persons. The number of immigrants was 8,431 higher than that of emigrants. The number of births was 4,729 lower than that of deaths.
According to the preliminary statistics for January–June a total of 22,886 children were born, which is 651 more than in the corresponding period 2019. Slightly over one hundred children were born on leap day in 2020.
The number of deaths was 27,615 which is 383 higher than one year earlier.
The birth rate rose slightly in the early part of the year from the corresponding period of the year before. In January to June 2020, the total fertility rate was 0.68, while in January to June 2019 it was 0.66.
In January to June, 13,258 persons moved to Finland from abroad and 4,827 persons moved abroad from Finland.
Covid-19 and migration
The effects of the restrictions due to the coronavirus are visible in these figures on international migration. The number of immigrants was 1,828 lower and the number of emigrants 2,844 lower than in the previous year.
The number of emigrants in January to June has last been under 5,000 in the 1990s. In all, 4,103 of the immigrants and 3,087 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens.
According to preliminary data by region, the population grew only in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Southwest Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Åland and Central Ostrobothnia between January–June of 2020.
