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Births, Deaths and Marriages Registered in 2006

 
2005
2006
Births
61,042
64,237
Average age of mothers
31
31
Deaths
27,441
27,479
Suicide
431
409
Marriages
21,355
21,841
Population
4,130,700
4,239,848


Over twice as many births as deaths in 2006


The number of births registered in 2006 (64,237) was over twice the number of deaths registered (27,479). This is the 5th year in a row in which this has been the case. The resultant natural increase in population (difference between births and deaths) was 36,758. This is the largest natural increase in population since 1982.


These figures are contained in the Central Statistics Office's Vital Statistics, Fourth Quarter and Yearly Summary Report 2006.


The number of births was 3,195 more than the 2005 figure. This increase can largely be explained by a corresponding increase in the female population of child-bearing age, but there was also a small rise in the average fertility rate. The 2006 Total Fertility Rate was 1.9 children per woman, compared with 1.88 in 2005.


Over two in five (41%) births in 2006 were to first time mothers. Over 33% of births in 2006 were outside marriage.


The number of deaths registered was 38 more than the 2005 figure. This works out as an annual rate of 6.5 deaths per 1,000 population, compared with a death rate of 6.6 per 1,000 in 2005, and 8.6 per 1,000 in 1997.


Almost 4 in every 5 deaths were from either diseases of the circulatory system (35%), cancer (29%), or diseases of the respiratory system (14%). The number of deaths due to circulatory diseases (which include heart disease and stroke) fell by 322 to 9,662. The number of deaths due to respiratory diseases was 3,978, which was 23 more than in 2005. Deaths from cancer rose by 254 to 7,868.

There were 409 suicides registered or 9.6 per 100,000 population. Males represented 78% of suicides, while females represented 22%.


There were 21,841 marriages registered in 2006, 486 more than in 2005. The number of divorces granted by the Circuit Court and the High Court was 3,466.


Vital Statistics Fourth Quarter and Yearly Summary 2006 is priced at €10.00 and is available from the:


Central Statistics Office, Information Section, Skehard Road, Cork,
Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2,
or through any bookseller.

For more information contact Joseph Keating (LoCall 1890 313 414 ext 5121).
Internet address: www.cso.ie (PDF 208KB) (PDF 207KB)

31 July 2007

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