Cyprus fertility rate slightly above EU average
EU birth rates fall to lowest level since 2001
Births across the European Union declined in 2024, according to Eurostat, with Cyprus recording a total fertility rate slightly above the EU average, while overall figures fell to their lowest level since 2001.
According to Eurostat’s latest demographic data, 3.55 million babies were born in the EU in 2024, representing a decline from the 3.67 million births recorded in 2023.
This represents a 3.3 per cent decrease in births across the European Union, continuing a downward trend in fertility across the bloc.
The total fertility rate in the European Union stood at 1.34 live births per woman in 2024, down from 1.38 in 2023.
Eurostat said that the EU fertility rate of 1.34 live births per woman marks the lowest level recorded since 2001, the first year for which an EU-wide value is available.
In Cyprus, the total fertility rate in 2024 stood at 1.38 live births per woman, placing the island slightly above the EU average for the year.
In neighbouring Greece, the total fertility rate was lower at 1.24 live births per woman, reflecting the broader demographic pressures affecting several southern European countries.
Beyond the EU, Turkey recorded a fertility rate of 1.48 live births per woman in 2024.
Across the EU, Bulgaria recorded the highest total fertility rate at 1.72 live births per woman.
It was followed by France, where the fertility rate reached 1.61 live births per woman, while Slovenia ranked third in the EU with a fertility rate of 1.52 live births per woman.
At the opposite end of the scale, Malta recorded the lowest fertility rate in the EU at 1.01 live births per woman.
It was followed by Spain, where the fertility rate stood at 1.10 live births per woman.
Lithuania recorded the third lowest fertility rate in the bloc at 1.11 live births per woman.
Eurostat’s figures underline continuing demographic challenges in the European Union, with fertility levels remaining well below the replacement rate generally considered necessary to maintain a stable population.