📊 More Weddings, Fewer Funerals — But Births Still Falling in Latvia
Latvia’s Central Statistical Bureau reports that in the first nine months of 2025, 8,833 marriages were registered — up 7.6% year-on-year. Mortality fell by 3%, with 19,186 deaths, while each month of Q3 saw over a thousand newborns — a first since October 2024.
However, the overall number of births continues to shrink. Between January and September, 8,883 babies were born — 10.9% fewer than during the same period last year. The natural population decline thus deepened by 10,300 people.
Context:
Latvia remains one of the EU’s fastest-aging societies. The uptick in marriages may reflect postponed pandemic-era weddings, while the birth slump underscores long-term demographic pressures — emigration, late motherhood, and shrinking family size. Policymakers are expected to revisit incentives for young families as the country’s natural population loss shows no sign of reversal.
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