The population of the Czech Republic last year was the highest on record since World War II

Prague, Oct 3 (CTK) – The Czech Republic recorded its highest population since the Second World War last year, the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) told journalists today, adding that its increase by 40,000 to 10.65 million was largely due to immigrants.

The average age of Czechs was 42.3 years.

In 2018, 54,470 marriages were completed, the highest number over the past ten years. Over the past decade, the population of the Czech Republic rose by 182,300 persons.

“It accounted for 38,600 new people out of the total increase of 39,700 last year. The population change only contributed 3 percent of the total population growth,” CSU chairman Marek Rojicek said.

The largest increase in immigration was recorded for Ukrainians (13,200) and Slovaks (5,200).

The population mainly increased in the age group over 65 years. The number of the elderly rose by 46,400 to 2.09 million. The number of children under 14 years, which has been growing since 2008, increased by 22,400 to 1.69 million.

By contrast, the productive age group has been diminishing since 2009. By the end of 2018, it had 6.87 million people, which was 29,100 fewer than a year ago.

“The average age of the Czech Republic’s population has been continually rising since the early 1980s, having reached 42.3 years last year. There were 123 elderly aged over 65 per 100 children under 15,” Roman Kurkin, from the CSU demographic statistics department, said

Last year, 54,470 couples got married, mostly choosing June to September for their weedings. “Most, 10,717 were in June and 10,638 in August. Men got married on average at 32, women at almost 30 years,” CSU demographer Jana Krestanova said.

According to the Justice Ministry data, there were 24,313 divorces in 2018, the lowest number since 2000.

In 2018, 114,036 live children were born in the Czech Republic, roughly 400 fewer than a year ago. This meant the first decline since 2013. The proportion of children born out of the wedlock fell for the first time since 1988 from 49.0 to 48.5 percent.

“In the past seven years, total fertility was rising, up to the current 1.71 children per woman. Previously, higher values ​​were only reached in the early 1990s,” the CSU said in its press report.

“The average age of a mother-child was 30.1 years and 28.4 years the first child last year,” the CSU said.

Between 2017 and 2018, the number of deaths increased by 1,500 to 112,900, the highest number since 1996. The life expectancy at birth slightly increased, by 0.08 and 0.05 years for men and women, respectively, to 76.1 years and 81.9 years.

pvr / dr / hol