ELSTAT – Large increase in deaths by 4.9% in 2020 – Small increase in births

The worst performance in almost a century was recorded by the index of natural change in Greece, as the data of statistical authority ELSTAT show that the balance of births and deaths in 2020 was -46,317, while in 2019 it was the previous negative record with -41,101.

However, a positive element is that the births in Greece in 2020 amounted to 84,767 (43,534 boys and 41,233 girls) recording an increase of 1.2% compared to 2019 which was 83,763 (42,945 boys and 40,818 girls). Births do not include stillbirths, which in 2020 amounted to 440, reduced by 3.1% compared to 2019 which was 454.

Deaths increase by 4.9%

The deaths, in 2020, reached 131,084 (66,198 men, 64,864 women and 22 deaths of unknown sex) recording an increase of 4.9% compared to 2019 which was 124,954 (63,079 men and 61,875 women). Under-one infant deaths rose to 275, reducing the infant mortality rate (under-one infant deaths per 1,000 live births) from 3.75 in 2019 to 3.24 in 2020.

Big reduction in marriages 33%

Marriages in 2020 amounted to 31,475 (11,935 religious and 19,540 political) showing a decrease of 33.2% compared to 2019, during which 47,137 (23,278 religious and 23,859 political) had taken place. Cohabitation agreements in 2020 amounted to 8,986, showing an increase of 13.4% compared to 2019 which was 7,924. The cohabitation agreements of the year 2020 include 172 cohabitation agreements between men and 64 between women.

The source of the data is the Registries of the Municipal Authorities. The data refer to events of physical change, such as births, deaths, marriages and cohabitation agreements of the population that lived in the Greek territory during 2020.