Fifty years ago our islands were leading births in Spain and have now become the region with fewer births.
To this collapse of births adds, in addition, that Canary Islandsbecome the autonomous community in which the most vegetative growth is increased, that is, more deceased than born. Thus, during 2018 there were 14.638 births compared to 16.116 deaths.
Birth figures nationwide and in Canary Islands
According to Statistics of the Natural Population Movement (NPM), ., between January and June, the Births have been reduced by 6,2% compared to the same period of 2018. In addition deaths have also decreased, but there has been a 5,4% more deceased than born. The number of births nationwide is the lowest since 1941.
Fifty years ago our islands were leading birth in Spain and currently they have become the region with fewer births. But why is the birth rate falling so low in Canary Islands?
Mainly we can affirm that this decrease is due to socioeconomic causes: high unemployment on the islands or low wages are two fundamental factors that They undoubtedly complicate plans to have children.
Other information about the changes in birth rates in Canary Islands
The fall of birth is a global phenomenon Mankind had never had any such low reproduction rates, but specifically in our country and, particularly in Canary Islands, this process has started later.
In the Archipelago, the decline in birth began to be pronounced after tourism development in the 70s. What happens now is that it has acquired more speed than in other European countries. Do not forget that in Canary Islands, more than 200.000 people are unemployed and that 29% of the Canarian population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. These are data published by Cáritas in a report published during 2019.
What happens in other Autonomous Communities?
The Rioja It has been the only Spanish community that has increased their births (5,9%). The greatest decreases occurred in the autonomous cities of Melilla (-27,6%) and Ceuta (-22,6%) and in Principado de Asturias (-12,0%).
The number of deaths decreased in all regions, although the greatest decrease was in Andalusia (-9,2%), Melilla (-8,3%) and Canary Islands(-8,1%).
However, if the vegetative balance is analyzed by region, this was positive in the Community of Madrid, where births exceeded 2.840 deaths, the Region of Murcia (354), Illes Balears (219) and Melilla (219) and Ceuta (119).
2019 ends and in our country the same number of children are not born as in previous years. A reality that we hope will change soon and that every effort be made to promote and promote birth in all the autonomous communities of our country.