Singapore sees drop in number of babies born in 2023

(MENAFN) In 2023, Singapore experienced a significant drop in the number of babies born, reaching its lowest level in two decades and further deepening what has been termed the country's "great baby drought." According to a news agency, which cited the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's report on the Registration of Births and Deaths 2023, only 33,541 babies were born last year. This represents a 5.8% decrease from the 35,605 babies born in 2022. Comparatively, the birth numbers for 2023 are even more stark when looking back to 2021, with a 13.3% decline from the 38,672 births recorded that year.

Earlier in February, it was revealed that Singapore's resident total fertility rate (TFR) had fallen below 1 for the first time in the nation’s history, a critical demographic milestone. Although the exact number of births for 2023 was not disclosed at that time, the eventual TFR for the year was reported at 0.97. This rate, which indicates the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive years, places Singapore among the countries with the lowest fertility rates globally.

While the birth rate has been on a noticeable decline, the number of deaths in Singapore has been on a steady upward trajectory over the past decade. In 2023, the total number of deaths was 26,888, which is almost identical to the 26,891 deaths recorded in 2022, showing a minuscule decrease of 0.01%. However, this figure reflects a 10.7% increase from the 24,292 deaths recorded in 2021. This growing gap between declining births and increasing deaths poses significant demographic challenges for Singapore, highlighting an urgent need for policies to address the implications of an aging population and low fertility rates.

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