Paris, Sept. 28, (dpa/GNA) – Fewer children were born in France last year than in any other year since World War II, the INSEE statistical service reported on Thursday.
The figure of around 762,000 came in 2.2% down on the figure for 2021 and down 12.8% on the figure for 2010.
Compared with 1971, when post-war births reached their peak, the decline was 20.8%. A consistent downward trend since 2011 was interrupted only in 2021 by a slight uptick.
Analysed by age group, only women older than 40 gave birth to more children than in the previous year.
INSEE noted that the decline in France was well below the overall decline across the European Union of 4.9%. It did not offer any reason for the decline.
GNA