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Published: 15 April 2010

Birth rate highest in 40 years

Corrected on 15 April 2010 at 10.30. The correction is indicated in red, was previously 1.93.

According to Statistics Finland’s data on population changes, at the fertility rate prevailing in 2009, a woman would give birth to 1.86 children during her reproductive period. This indicator of birth rate is known as the total fertility rate. The birth rate was last higher than in 2009 in 1969 when the total fertility rate was 1.94 . In order for the population to renew itself in the long term, the total fertility rate should be approximately 2.1.

Total fertility rate in 1900–2009

A total of 60,430 children were born in Finland in 2009, which was 900 more than in the year before. The number of births last exceeded 60,000 in 1996.

On the average, the women who gave birth in 2009 were of the same age as in the previous year. The mean age of all women at confinement remained unchanged at 30.1 years. Women’s mean age at first confinement was also unchanged in 2009, or 28.2 years. During the 2000s, the mean age at first confinement has gone up by 0.6 years.

In 2009, total fertility rate was above the threshold on population’s renewal in five regions: 2.40 in North Ostrobothnia, 2.38 in Central Ostrobothnia, 2.18 in South Ostrobothnia and 2.15 in Ostrobothnia and Kainuu. The birth rate was lowest in the region of South Karelia where the total fertility rate was 1.67. The region of Uusimaa had the second lowest birth rate of 1.68.

Number of live births, total fertility rate and mother's mean age by live births in 2000–2009

Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Number of live births	56 742	56 189	55 555	56 630	57 758	57 745	58 840	58 729	59 530	60 430
Total fertility rate	1,73	1,73	1,72	1,76	1,80	1,80	1,84	1,83	1,85	1,86
Mother's mean age by all live births	29,9	29,9	29,9	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,1	30,1
Mother's mean age by first live birth	27,6	27,6	27,7	27,9	27,8	27,9	28,0	28,1	28,2	28,2

Source: Population and Cause of Death Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Timo Nikander (09) 1734 3250

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (269.6 kB)

Tables

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• Database tables and their variables
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Appendix tables

• Total fertility rate by region in 1998 - 2009 (15.4.2010)

Figures

• Live births in 1971 - 2009 (15.4.2010)
• Age-specific fertility rates in 1989, 1999 and 2009 (15.4.2010)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, births 2009 (15.4.2010)

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Updated 15.4.2010