Baby Cries Grow Louder... 230,000 Births from January to November Last Year, Highest in Four Years

233,708 Births Recorded from January to November Last Year
Number of Marriages Also Rises... 7.5% Increase in Cumulative Total for January to November

The cumulative number of births from January to November last year exceeded 230,000, marking the highest level in four years. As the monthly number of births and marriages has continued to rise over an extended period, there are signs of recovery across overall birth and marriage indicators.

Newborns are lying in beds in the neonatal room. Image to aid understanding of the article. Photo by The Asia Business Daily Database

According to the "Population Trends for November 2025," released by the National Data Agency on January 28, the cumulative number of births from January to November 2025 was 233,708, a 6.2% increase compared to the same period in the previous year (220,061). This is the first time in four years, since 2021, that the cumulative number of births has reached this level.

Cumulative Births Surpass 230,000... Monthly Growth Continues

The upward trend in monthly births also continued. In November last year, the number of births was 20,710, an increase of 627 (3.1%) compared to the same month of the previous year (20,083). The monthly number of births has posted year-on-year growth for 17 consecutive months since July 2024.

An official from the National Data Agency stated, "The number of births has reached a level close to that of November 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic," and added, "For November, the number has exceeded 20,000 for two consecutive years, including 2024." The official further explained, "This appears to be the result of a combination of factors, including an increase in the population in their early 30s-the main childbearing age group-an increase in marriages, improved perceptions of marriage and childbirth, and government policies to address the low birth rate."

In November last year, the total fertility rate was 0.79, up 0.02 from the same month of the previous year. By birth order, the proportion of firstborns increased by 1.4 percentage points compared to the previous year, while the proportions of second and third or higher children decreased by 0.7 percentage points and 0.6 percentage points, respectively.

By the mother's age group, the fertility rate for women aged 30-34 slightly decreased to 71.5, but for those aged 35-39, it increased by 3.2 to 51.5. The rise in the birth rate among women in their late 30s, the main childbearing age group, is analyzed to have driven the overall increase in births.

Population Decline Continues Due to Increase in Deaths

The number of marriages also continued to rise. In November last year, there were 19,079 marriages, an increase of 498 (2.7%) compared to the same month of the previous year, marking 20 consecutive months of year-on-year growth since April 2024. The cumulative number of marriages from January to November was 214,843, a 7.5% increase from the previous year (199,893).

An official from the National Data Agency commented, "With the increase in marriages, the upward trend in births is likely to continue for some time."

However, the number of deaths increased. In November 2025, there were 30,678 deaths, a 4.9% increase from the same month of the previous year, setting a record for the highest November figure since statistics began in 1983. As a result, the population decreased by 9,968, calculated by subtracting deaths from births, with the scale of natural decline widening compared to the previous year. The natural population decline has continued for 73 consecutive months since November 2019.

An official from the Data Agency explained, "The increase in deaths appears to be due to the continued dry and cold weather." Meanwhile, the number of divorces in November last year was 6,890, a decrease of 748 (9.8%) compared to the same month of the previous year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.