MADRID, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Spain recorded the second-lowest number of births for the month of November since records began, according to data released by the Spanish Statistical Office (INE) on Wednesday.
In November 2024, a total of 27,331 babies were born. This figure narrowly surpasses the historic low of 26,675 births recorded in November 2020, a period heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of births in November 2024 was 17 fewer than the 27,348 registered in November 2023 and 1,642 fewer than in October 2024. Notably, Spain has not exceeded 30,000 births in any month since October 2021.
A key factor contributing to the declining birth rate is the increasing age at which women are having children. According to INE data, 9,072 births in November 2024 were to women aged 30 to 34, followed by 8,038 births to women aged 35 to 40. Women aged 25 to 30 accounted for 4,708 births, while those aged over 40 contributed 2,589 births, including 29 cases where mothers were aged over 50.
Despite the low figures for November, year 2024 was on track to show a modest recovery in Spain's birth rate. A total of 296,100 babies were born in the first 11 months of the year, an increase of 2,364 compared to the same period in 2023. This marks the first annual increase in births after a decade of continuous decline.
The most significant rise in birth rates has been observed in the northern region of Cantabria, the Balearic Islands, and the Madrid region, according to the INE. ■
