The population of the Czech Republic increased by 27.7 thousand to 10.638 million persons in the first three quarters of 2018. The most of the increase, 26.1 thousand, was due to international migration. A total of 1.7 thousand inhabitants were added thanks to a higher number of live births over the number of deaths.

According to the preliminary statistical balance the population of the Czech Republic stood at 10 637.8 thousand on 30 September and was by 27.7 thousand higher than on 1 January. The major part of the increase was caused by international migration, which balance amounted to 26.1 thousand persons. Another 1.7 thousand inhabitants was added by the balance of natural change, as the number of live births exceeded the number of deaths.

According to the preliminary data a total of 86.6 thousand children were born alive during the first nine months of 2018. It was by 43 fewer as against the final results of the same period of the previous year. The married women gave a birth to 44.6 thousand children, the single women to 37.9 thousand children and the divorced or widowed women gave a birth to 4.1 thousand children. The proportion of live births outside marriage increased to 48.5%, and it was slightly lower in the year-on-year comparison (48.7% in the period from January to September of 2017). The third quarter data confirmed that the long-term increase in the share of live births outside marriage stopped. The first born children accounted for 48% of all live births, the second born children 37% and children born in the third or higher order 14%. The most children were born to women aged 30.

According to the preliminary data there were 85.0 thousand deaths from the beginning of the year to the end of September, almost 1.3 thousand more than in the same period of 2017. The major part of the year-on-year increase fell on the third quarter of the year, during which 26.6 thousand persons died, by 1.0 thousand more in the year-on-year comparison. A total of 43.0 thousand deceased were men and 42.0 thousand were women. The deceased men were aged 72.6 years on average and the average age of women at death was 79.7 years. A total of 220 children died during their first year of life, by 10 less than in the first three quarters of the previous year. The infant mortality rate decreased slightly year-on-year to 2.5‰.

According to the preliminary data a total of 47.8 thousand marriages were entered into during the first three quarters of the year, by 1.5 thousand more than in the same period of the previous year. Over 10.0 thousand of wedding ceremonies took place in June (10.6 thousand) and August (10.4 thousand). On the contrary, the lowest number, 0.8 thousand, of couples entered into their marriage in January. Three-quarters of grooms and brides married for the first time, one-quarter of grooms and brides entered into their higher-order marriage. Most grooms were aged 29 years and most brides were at the age of 27.

According to the preliminary data, the Czech courts issued 17.5 thousand decisions about divorces by the end of September 2018, by 1.0 thousand fewer than in the same period of 2017. The divorces of marriages without minors represented about 40% of all divorces; divorced marriages with minors accounted for 60%. The average age of a divorced man was 44.7 years and 41.8 years of a divorced woman.

The international migration statistics for the first nine months of 2018 refers to 43.1 thousand immigrants and 17.0 thousand emigrants. The net migration of the population of the Czech Republic were 26.1 thousand and it was about 7.3 thousand higher than in the same period of 2017. The international migration flows of both immigrants and emigrants were increased in the year-on-year comparison. The growth of migrants was significantly caused by the increase in Ukraine nationals. The highest positive migration balance was registered with nationals of Ukraine (8.9 thousand) in the first three quarters of 2018, which made up
one-third of total net migration. The second highest was the net migration of Slovak nationals (3.9 thousand), followed by the migration balance of Romanian (1.5 thousand) and Bulgarian nationals (1.4 thousand).

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Notes:
All data refer to the resident population of the Czech Republic, irrespective of citizenship. Since 2001 (in relation to the 2001 Population and Housing Census) the data include also foreigners with visa for stay over 90 days (pursuant to the Act No 326/1999 Sb) and foreigners with asylum granted (pursuant to the Act No 325/1999 Sb). Since 1 May 2004, in accordance with the Act No 326/1999 Sb, as amended, data apply also to EU nationals with temporary residence on the territory of the Czech Republic and third- country nationals with long-term residence permit. The data contain also information on events (marriages, births, and deaths) of Czech citizens with the permanent residence in the Czech Republic that occurred abroad.All data for 2018 are preliminary.
Data on abortions in the first to third quarter of 2018 are not included due to incomplete data set provided by the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the CR.
Responsible manager: Mgr. Robert Šanda, director of Population Statistics Department,
tel. +420 274 052 160, e-mail: robert.sanda@czso.cz
Contact person: Mgr. Michaela Němečková, Demographic Statistics Unit,
tel. +420 274 052 184, e-mail: michaela.nemeckova@czso.cz
Data source: Demographic statistics – results of processing statistical reports of Obyv series
Divorces – Information system of the Ministry of Justice of the CR
Migration data – Information System of Inhabitants Records (Ministry of the Interior of the CR) and Alien Information System (Directorate of Alien Police)
Abortions – Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the CR
End of data collection: 20 November 2018
Related publication: 130062-18 Population of the Czech Republic – 1st-3rd quarter of 2018
https://www.czso.cz/current-product/41180
Next News Release: 21 March 2019