According to the 2021 Census of Population, Housing and Dwellings, the Czech Republic had a population of 10.494 million at the beginning of 2021, rising by 21,900 over the year. However, the number of deaths increased significantly for the second year in a row, reaching almost 140,000 and exceeding the number of births by 28,100. Photo credit: Freepik
Czech Republic, 22 March (BD) – “At the end of the year, our population numbered 10.516 million people, with a total annual increase of 21,900. However, the natural currency balance was negative, as there were 28,100 more deaths than births, the deepest natural decline in the history of the Czech Republic since its inception in 1918. The cause of population growth during 2021 was only a positive balance of foreign migration, when the number of immigrants exceeded the number of emigrants by 50,000,” said Terezie Styrler, head of demographic statistics at CZSO.
111,800 children were born during the year, 1,600 more than in 2020. The number of children born increased despite the lower number of women of childbearing age, meaning an increase in fertility levels to 1.83 children per woman, the most since 1992. The share of children born out of wedlock remained unchanged from the previous year at 48.5%.
A total of 46,800 couples entered into marriage, 1,400 more year-on-year. However, this figure was still lower than from 2015–2019. The fewest marriages took place in January, and the most in August. Three-quarters of the couples were entering into marriage for the first time. In terms of age, the most numerous were 28-31-year-old grooms and 26-30-year-old brides. In more than a tenth of marriages, at least one of the marrying couple was a foreign national.
Foreign migration had a positive balance of 50,000 people, up 23,000 year-on-year and the highest since 2009. 69,200 people immigrated to the Czech Republic from abroad and 19,200 people left.
