The archipelago has the lowest life expectancy (81.8 years) and last year births fell 4% to 12,219
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE/MADRID, Nov. 22 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Last year, the Canary Islands were at the bottom of the fertility rate with less than one child per woman, specifically 0.86, being, along with Asturias (0.97), the only two communities below one and far from the average. national (1.16), according to monthly birth estimates from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Last year, a total of 12,219 births were recorded on the islands, 4% less than the previous year, while deaths increased by 9.1% to 18,712, with a crude mortality rate of 8.5 deaths per 1,000. population.
Last year, the archipelago registered a natural growth of -6,493 people and was also the autonomous community with the lowest life expectancy at birth, with an average of 81.8 years.
In Spain the number of births in the first nine months of the year has reached 238,766, 2.5% less compared to the same period in 2022.
In this way, the downward path of recent years continues and 2023 could once again register a new historical minimum after the INE published this Wednesday the final data for 2022, when there were 329,251 births, the lowest figure since the beginning of the series in 1941.
Specifically, according to INE estimates, in Spain in the first nine months of 2023 there were 238,766 births, which represents 6,337 fewer births than in the same period of 2022 and 52,579 fewer than in the same months of 2017. Thus, in the first nine months of 2022, there were 245,103 births; in 2021, 249,809; in 2020, 260,192; in 2019, 268,048; in 2018, 276,920; and in 2017, 291,345, so the downward trend continues since these monthly data were recorded.
Furthermore, the figure for this September 2023 is the lowest for this month since the beginning of the series (in 1941) and there have been 23 consecutive months in which 30,000 births have not been exceeded in a month, a figure that was reached in October 2021.
On the other hand, the final data for 2022 published by the INE reveal that Spain registered 329,251 births, which represented a decrease of 2.4% compared to the previous year (8,129 fewer), a new historical low since the beginning of the series. Since 2012, births have fallen 27.6%.
Furthermore, during 2022, 464,417 people died in Spain, 3.0% more than in 2021, so the natural growth of the population residing in Spain (that is, the difference between births of mothers residing in Spain and deaths of residents in the country) was negative in 133,250 people in 2022.
In this way, there are six consecutive years with negative balances and the difference between births and deaths last year is the second most negative since data exists (1941), only surpassed by that of 2020.
As can be seen from the definitive data of the Natural Movement of the Population (MNP) and the Basic Demographic Indicators (BDI) corresponding to 2022, published this Wednesday, the number of births continues with the downward trend of the last decade, only interrupted in 2014. Since 2012, the number of births has decreased by 27.6%.
Meanwhile, the number of women between 25 and 40 years old (who accounted for 83.5% of births) decreased by 2.3% in 2022, going from 4.72 million to 4.63 million, so maintains the downward trend that began in 2009, since this age range is made up of smaller generations born during the 80s and the first half of the 90s.
Furthermore, of the 329,251 births that took place in Spain in 2022, 75,869 were to a foreign mother, 23.04% of the total (compared to 21.43% in 2021).
Regarding the short-term fertility indicator (or average number of children per woman), it stood at 1.16 in 2022, two hundredths less than that registered in 2021. By nationality, the average number of children per woman decreased three hundredths among Spanish mothers (up to 1.12). On the contrary, among foreigners it remained at 1.35.
The average number of children per woman in Spain fell 0.02 points in 2022, reaching 1.16, the lowest since 1999. The highest values were in Melilla (1.56) and Murcia (1.42), while in the Canary Islands and Asturias it was less than 1
In 2021 and 2020, the average number was 1.18. The figure has been decreasing over the years, with 1.23 in 2019; 1.26 in 2018; 1.33 in 2015; 1.37 in 2010 and 1.33 in 2005. In 2000 the average was 1.21, in 1999 it was 1.16 and in 1981 it was 2.04.
MOTHERS 40 OR OLDER INCREASED BY ALMOST 30% IN A DECADE
The average age at motherhood remained at 32.6 years in 2022. In recent years, not only a decrease in the number of births has been observed, but also a delay in the age of motherhood, in line with the data from monthly estimates.
Thus, while in 2022 and 2021 the average age of mothers was 32.6 years, in 2020 it was 32.3; in 2019 32.2; in 2018, 32.2 and in 2015, 31.9. A decade earlier, in 2005, the average was 30.9 and ten years earlier, in 1995, it was 29.9 compared to 28.5 in 1985.
By nationality, the average age at motherhood for Spanish mothers increased nine hundredths compared to 2021, and stood at 33.1 years. For its part, that of foreigners was reduced by one tenth, to 30.5 years.
Another indicator that reflects the delay in motherhood is the number of births to mothers aged 40 or over, which has grown by 27.9% in the last 10 years. In relative terms, while in 2012 6.2% of births were to mothers aged 40 or over, in 2022 that percentage rose to 11.0%.
These data are in line with the INE’s monthly estimate since last September 2023, there were more births to mothers over 40 years of age than to women under 25 years of age. In this way, those over 40 years of age account for 2,761 births while those under 25 years of age remain at 2,662.
LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASES UP TO 83.08 YEARS
The INE statistics also address life expectancy at birth, which increased 0.06 years in 2022, up to 83.08 years. By sex, it increased in men and decreased in women. Thus, in the case of men, it rose 0.17 years (to 80.36) while in women it fell 0.07 years (to 85.74).
According to the mortality conditions of the moment, a person who reached 65 years of age in 2022 would expect to live, on average, 19.06 more years if they are a man and 22.96 more if they are a woman.
On the other hand, in the first 44 weeks of 2023, that is, until November 5, a total of 362,761 people died in Spain, which is 25,400 fewer people than in the same period of 2022 and the lowest figure in those weeks since 2019. Thus, in the same period of 2022 there were 388,161 deaths, compared to 373,885 in 2021; 412,380, from 2020; the 349,659 in 2019 and the 358,682 in 2018.
Regarding the final data for 2022, they confirm that the greatest increases in deaths in relative terms were observed in those over 90 years of age, in particular, in people aged 100 and over, both in men (with an increase of 15.6 % compared to 2021), as in women (22.7%).
Meanwhile, the infant mortality rate increased six hundredths in 2022 and stood at 2.60 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
