Singapore's fertility rate falls to historic low in 2020

Children play at a fountain in Singapore (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Singapore (VNA) - Singapore's fertility rate declined to a record low in a decade last year, according to data in Q4 2020 of the Singapore Demographic Bulletins.

There were 38,705 children being born in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 1.5 percent. It was the lowest number of newborns since that of 37,967 recorded 10 years ago.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused some Singaporeans to postpone their marriage, resulting in about 6 percent fewer marriages in 2019 than the previous year.

In contrast, the death rate saw a record high in nearly 10 years. About 22,000 people passed away last year, up 2.6 percent against 2019. 

The increase was not attributable to COVID-19 as Singapore recorded a death toll of 30 due to complications of the disease.

Residents of age 65 and above accounted for 9 percent of the Southeast Asian country’s population in 2010 and rose to 15.2 percent last year, making Singapore among countries with the fastest aging population in the world./.

VNA