The death rate in Ukraine is three times higher than the birth rate: data from Opendatabot

The death rate in Ukraine in 2024 will be three times higher than the birth rate, informs Opendatabot. The largest number of births and deaths was recorded in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk region.

According to data from the Ministry of Justice, 87,655 babies were born in the first six months of this year, which is 9% less than the same period in 2023. During the same time, 250,972 deaths were recorded in Ukraine.

Compared to the period before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the birth rate decreased by 1.5 times. For example, in the first half of 2021, 132,595 children were born.

The largest number of newborns was registered in:

• Kyiv – 9,695 children;
• Lviv region – 7,923 children;
• Dnipropetrovsk region – 6,962 children.

The smallest number of newborns in the front-line zones:

• Kherson region – 221 children;
• Donetsk region – 702 children;
• No births have been registered in the Luhansk region over the past six months.

“Currently, there are three deaths per one newborn citizen. This ratio is one of the key indicators of the demographic crisis”, – noted in Opendatabot.

The lowest number of deaths in:

• Kherson region – 2,334 people;
• Donetsk region – 5,753 people;
• Chernivtsi region – 5,422 people.

The largest number of deaths in:

• Dnipropetrovsk region – 26,374 people;
• Kharkiv region – 17,999 people;
• Kyiv – 17,449 people.

Before the coronavirus pandemic in 2018-2020, there were two deaths per one born child. If compared to 2021, when there was no full-scale war, then 349,041 people died. This is 1.4 times less than in the first half of 2024. At the same time, Opendatabot noted that 2021 was the peak year for deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the forecasts of demographers, the current trend may lead to an even greater reduction of the population of Ukraine, which creates serious challenges for the future development of the country.