According to preliminary data from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), approximately 654,300 children were born in the country in 2025. This represents a 3.4% decline compared to 2024, when 677,117 births were recorded.
The number of births has thus fallen for the fourth consecutive year, reaching the lowest figure in the entire post-war period — since 1946, when Germany was experiencing a demographic decline in the aftermath of World War II.
The number of deaths in 2025 stood at approximately 1.01 million. As a result, the natural population decrease reached a record 352,000 — the largest birth deficit in post-war German history.
The decline in birth rates was more pronounced in the eastern federal states (averaging –4.5%) than in the western states (–3.2%). The drop was particularly notable in certain eastern regions, such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
According to Destatis estimates, the current trend is driven by two primary factors:
Relatively small generations born in the 1990s are now entering their prime reproductive years (early thirties).
The total fertility rate continues to decline. In 2024, it stood at 1.35 children per woman — well below the population replacement level of 2.1.
This demographic crisis is increasing pressure on Germany’s pension system, labour market, and social welfare system, which has already been experiencing sustained population ageing for many years.