Lithuania sees birth rate drop by 10 percent

Lithuania has seen its birth rate drop by a tenth over a year, and the number of deaths has risen by a quarter, according to the latest figures from the country's statistics office.

Based on the September figures, 2,117 babies were born in the country last month, compared to 2,330 during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, 3,880 people died in September, up from 3,105 a year ago.

Last summer's positive migration tendencies were reversed in September as 3,964 people returned to the country and 4,446 left it. Foreigners and Lithuanian citizens account for almost equal shares of those arriving into the country, and 60 percent of Lithuanian citizens accounted for those leaving the country.

Compared to September 2020, emigration levels have gone up by 40 percent, and the number of incoming people has gone down by a tenth.

Lithuania's total population shrank by 2,245 over a month and stood at 2,780,427 in early October.