Home > Statistics > Births > 2010 > Birth rate continues to rise

Published: 15 April 2011

Birth rate continues to rise

According to Statistics Finland's data on population changes, the slight rising of the birth rate continues. At the fertility rate prevailing in 2010, a woman would give birth to an average of 1.87 children during her reproductive age. The birth rate has now been going up for eight successive years. However, it is still below the threshold on population's renewal, which is approximately 2.1 children per woman.

Total fertility rate in 1900–2010

The number of births just failed to reach 61,000 and was 60,980 children. In 2010, 550 more children were born than in the year before.

The relative share of mothers born abroad among all mothers of born children has been growing steadily. Nine per cent of the mothers of the children born in 2010 had been born abroad, while the respective share in 1990 was only two per cent.

On the average, the women who gave birth in 2010 were of the same age as in the previous year. The mean age of all women at confinement remained almost unchanged at 30.1 years. By contrast, the mean age at first confinement rose by one decimal to 28.3 years. During the 2000s, the mean age at first confinement has risen by 0.7 years.

Measured with the total fertility rate, the birth rate was above the rate for the whole country in 11 regions in 2010. The Ostrobothnian regions had the highest relative numbers of births: 2.40 in North Ostrobothnia, 2.37 in Central Ostrobothnia, 2.18 in South Ostrobothnia and 2.15 in Ostrobothnia. The birth rate was above the threshold on population's renewal in only these four regions. The region of Uusimaa had the lowest average birth rate of 1.70.

Number of live births, total fertility rate and mother's mean age by live births in 2001–2010

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Number of live births	56 189	55 555	56 630	57 758	57 745	58 840	58 729	59 530	60 430	60 980
Total fertility rate	1,73	1,72	1,76	1,80	1,80	1,84	1,83	1,85	1,86	1,87
Mother's mean age by all live births	29,9	29,9	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,0	30,1	30,1	30,1
Mother's mean age by first live birth	27,6	27,7	27,9	27,8	27,9	28,0	28,1	28,2	28,2	28,3

Source: Population and Cause of Death Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Timo Nikander (09) 1734 3250, vaesto.tilasto@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (334.3 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Total fertility rate by region 2000 - 2010 (15.4.2011)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Live births 1971 - 2010 (15.4.2011)
• Appendix figure 2. Age-specific fertility rates 1990, 2000 and 2010 (15.4.2011)
• Appendix figure 3. Total fertility rate by municipality 2006 - 2010 (15.4.2011)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, births 2010 (15.4.2011)

---

Updated 15.4.2011