Singapore Hits Lowest Birth Rates In 2022, Only 35,605 Recorded
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) released its report on the registration of births and deaths in 2022, and they make for grim reading.
There were 35,605 live births last year, which is a record-low amount.
Meanwhile, deaths rose to 26,891 — a 10.7% rise from 2021.
Mothers are also giving birth later, the report stated.
Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) decreased to a record low of 1.05 last year.
Report notes record-low birth rates in 2022
The number of live births recorded in 2022 hit a record low of 35,605.
For comparison, there were 38,672 live births in 2021, marking a 7.9% decline.
The rates of births have seen a steady decline for several years.
The following is a breakdown of live births by race:
- Chinese: 56.4% (20,073)
- Malays: 22.4% (7,958)
- Indians: 11.4% (4,071)
- Individuals of other races: 9.8% (3,503)
Malays had the highest birth rate with 14.3 per 1,000 residents.
This was followed by Indians with 8.3 per 1,000 residents, while Chinese made up the lowest rate at 6.5 per 1,000 residents.
Source: ICA
First-time mothers delaying births
According to ICA, the median age of first-time mothers increased from 30.6 years in 2018 to 31.9 years in 2022.
The median age for Chinese mothers giving birth to their first child is 32.5 years.
As for first-time Malay mothers and Indian mothers, the median age is 28.4 and 31.1 years, respectively.
Those from other ethnic groups have a median age of 32.9 years.
63.6% of first-time mothers held university degrees.
Death rates also increasing
Meanwhile, the rate of deaths has also been increasing. In 2013, there were 18,938 deaths, but in 2022, a total of 26,891 were recorded.
The death rate is the highest recorded since 1960. Of the deaths recorded last year, 23,275 people were aged 60 years and above.
On the other hand, there were 69 cases of infant deaths.
Infant deaths are those aged below one year.
Source: ICA
The amount of infant deaths has decreased since 2013, ICA notes.
However, those who died aged 30-39 have increased since 2013 — from 379 — to 433.
As people live longer, the age profiles of deaths will naturally also tend higher.
The median age at death has increased to 78.5 years, compared to 74.9 years in 2013, ICA mentions.
Chinese deaths made up 75.8% of the total, while Malays, Indians and other ethnic groups made up 14.2%, 7.8% and 2.1% of death cases respectively.
Men tended to die earlier than women.
The median age was 75.2 years for males, while it was 82.3 years for females.
Fertility rate decreases to 1.05
As noted by the statistics, the TFR in Singapore decreased to 1.05 in 2022.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said in February this year that this is partly due to the Tiger year in the lunar calendar as the year is generally associated with lower births among the Chinese.
Regardless, the trend is still in steady decline.
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Featured image adapted from Luma Pimentel on Unsplash.
