5.4 million children born in EU27 in 2008

The population of the euro area (EA16) was estimated at 328.7 million on 1 January 2009, compared with 327.1 million on 1 January 2008. The population of the euro area grew by 1.6 million in 2008, an annual rate of +0.5%, due to a natural increase of 0.4 million and net migration of 1.2 million.

These figures come from a report2 published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, on demography in the EU27 Member States, EU Candidate, EFTA and other European countries.

5.4 million children were born in the EU27 in 2008. The crude birth rate in the EU27 was 10.9 per 1000 inhabitants, an increase of 0.3 live births per 1000 inhabitants compared with 2007. Between 2007 and 2008 the crude birth rate increased in all Member States except Germany. The highest increases were recorded in Lithuania (10.4‰ in 2008 compared with 9.6‰ in 2007), Ireland (16.9‰ compared with 16.2‰), Cyprus (11.6‰ compared with 10.9‰) and Poland (10.9‰ compared with 10.2‰).