Romania lost on average 3.5 out of each 1,000 people due to natural causes, in 2013, and had the fifth largest natural decline rate of the population in the European Union (EU) according to data published by Eurostat.

In absolute terms, Romania’s natural decline last year was 70,800 people, the third largest in the EU, after Germany and Italy.

The natural decline rate for Romania was lower than in Bulgaria (-5.2 per 1,000 people), Latvia (-4.0), Lithuania (-3.9) and Hungary (-3.6).

Romania’s mortality rate in 2013 was 12.4 people for 1,000 population, the fifth highest in the EU, while the births rate was 8.8, the fifth lowest.

Cumulated for all the 28 EU member states, 10 were born for each 1,000 people and 9.9 died in 1,000 people so the natural change was positive. The total population in the EU also increased due to net migration, reaching 507.42 million people.

Romania is the seventh largest country in the EU, with a resident population of 19.94 million at end-December 2013. Germany is first, with 80.78 million people, followed by France (65.86 million), UK (64.31 million) and Italy (60.78 million). Spain and Poland come next with 46.51 million people and 38.49 people respectively.

editor@romania-insider.com