Catalonia records lowest birth rate in 70 years

Catalonia recorded 54,174 births in 2023, marking the lowest number in the past 70 years. Meanwhile, 67,662 people passed away, according to data released on Wednesday by Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE).

For the sixth consecutive year, Catalonia experienced negative population growth in 2023. The figure stood at -13,448 people, a slight improvement over previous years, driven primarily by a 4% reduction in mortality rather than an increase in births.

In 2023, the number of births dropped by 3.8% compared to the previous year, while deaths decreased by around 3,000.

In 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Catalonia registered 79,784 deaths—surpassing the worst year of Spain's Civil War in 1938, when 73,913 people died.

Experts have observed a continuous decline in the birth rate since 2008, coinciding with the global financial crisis. However, it wasn't until 2018 that this trend led to sustained negative population growth.

The last time around 55,000 babies were born was in 1953, during Spain's post-war era. In contrast, during the 1970s, Catalonia saw approximately 100,000 births annually.