Statistics: 4.4% fewer babies born in Romania in February

A total of 13,016 babies were born in Romania in February 2017, 603 fewer than in the same month of 2016, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). This means that the number of babies went down 4.4% year-on-year in February 2017. Meanwhile, Romania registered 22,709 deaths in February this year, 782 (3.6%) more than in the same month the previous year. Thus, Romania recorded a natural decline (the number of live births minus the number of deaths) of 9,693 people in February 2017, up from 8,308 in the same month of 2016. A total of 105 babies aged under 1 died in February this year, down from 160 in January but similar to February 2016 (106). A total of 28,112 babies were born in Romania in the first two months of the year, down 4.2% year-on-year, according to INS data. Meanwhile, the number of deaths increased by 13.5%, from 45,395 in the first two months of 2016 to 51,509 in the same period this year. Over 189,000 babies were born in Romania in 2016, 11,240 fewer than in 2015, when the number went up to over 201,000. However, the number of deaths was also 2% lower year-on-year in 2016, dropping from 291,697 in 2015 to 256,501 in 2016. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com