10,000 Less Croats Last Year

There were 41,771 babies born in Croatia last year, up slightly by 1.4%, or 574 babies, on the year previous, according to statistics released by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

There were however more deaths than births in Croatia last year. In 2012 there were 51,710 deaths, 9,939 more than new births, meaning Croatia’s natural growth rate is continuing in a negative fashion (-2.3). Only in the city of Zagreb, the Split-Dalmatia county and the Medjumurje county were positive natural population growth recorded. There were 130 still-born babies recorded in 2012, 55 less than the previous year and the least amount since 2008. The year which had the most babies born in the last decade was 2009, when 44,577 babies were born in Croatia. Last year out of the 41,771 babies born 51.9% were male and 48.1% female.