The population of the Czech Republic dropped by approximately 32,600 in the first quarter of this year, to just under 10.88 million, as more people died than were born, the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) announced today.
Foreign migration also contributed to the decline, as more people moved out of the country than came to the Czech Republic from January to March. In both directions, migration figures were dominated by citizens of Ukraine.
The number of deaths increased slightly year-on-year, while the number of births and marriages was lower than in the same period last year, and the number of divorces did not change significantly.
Between 1 January and 31 March this year, the population of the Czech Republic decreased to 10,876,875, according to the statistics.
“In the first three months of this year, the Czech Republic lost 32,600 inhabitants, similarly to the first quarter of 2024,” said Michaela Nemeckova from the CSU’s demographic statistics department. “The population fell by 12,600 as a result of the prevalence of deaths over births, and by another 20,100 due to the negative balance of foreign migration.”
In the first quarter of 2025, 18,100 children were born in the Czech Republic, down 14% year-on-year. The decline in the birth rate is continuing for the fourth year, said the statisticians. Women born between 1993 and 1996 gave birth most often. Almost half of children (48.1%) were born outside of marriage.
In the first three months of this year, 30,600 Czech residents died, 3% more than in the same period of 2024. The number of deaths was higher year-on-year in all age groups over 70, according to the CSU.
A total of 3,000 couples got married in the first quarter of this year, 12% fewer than last year. The number of marriages is down for the third year in a row. Most grooms were between 30 and 34 years, while brides were most often between 25 and 29.
On the other hand, 4,900 marriages ended in divorce in the first three months of this year, down 2% year-on-year. “The most frequent divorces were after five, six and two years of marriage, which corresponds with the higher numbers of marriages contracted in 2019, 2018 and 2022,” said CSU. Three-fifths of divorced couples had at least one minor child.
Some 46,300 people moved abroad from the Czech Republic during the first quarter, down by 6,100 year-on-year. During the same period, about 26,200 people moved into the country, 2,400 fewer than last year. In both directions, citizens of Ukraine, who are granted temporary protection by the Czech Republic due to the Russian invasion of their country, predominated.
“As in the first quarter of 2024, the decline in foreign migration was caused by a high number of people whose residence in the Czech Republic had expired. Most of them were people whose international protection expired at the end of March,” CSU added.
