Number of live births in Germany
Number of live births in Germany stood at 654,241 Count in 2025, according to Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis). It is one of the indicators in the Vital statistics table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1946 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Vital statistics table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live births2 | 654,241 | 677,117 | 692,989 | 738,819 | 795,492 | 773,144 | 778,090 | 787,523 | 784,901 | 792,141 | |
| Male live births | 336,121 | 347,717 | 355,299 | 379,111 | 408,474 | 397,385 | 399,292 | 404,052 | 402,510 | 405,585 | |
| Female live births | 318,118 | 329,400 | 337,690 | 359,708 | 387,018 | 375,759 | 378,798 | 383,471 | 382,374 | 386,546 |
Understanding number of live births in Germany
Captures the total aggregate count of infants delivered showing any sign of life across the entire national territory. It represents the foundation of natural demographic growth, excluding stillbirths, which are tracked separately, and breaking down further by sex or the marital status of the parents. This absolute metric differs from the relative birth rate, as it does not factor in the total population size. The registry records births by the mother's place of residence rather than the hospital's location to ensure regional distributions remain accurate.
Assessing this demographic variable requires looking at long-term trajectories rather than isolated annual movements. Year-on-year variations can be noisy due to temporary social or economic conditions influencing family planning, whereas multi-year comparisons reveal structural shifts in cohort sizes. Users should be aware that initial annual aggregates are sometimes subject to minor late-registration revisions. When juxtaposed with total death counts, this figure dictates the underlying natural population balance before net migration is considered.
Frequently asked questions
- What counts as a live birth versus a stillbirth?
- A live birth requires the infant to show distinct biological signs of life at delivery, separating it from stillbirth classifications.
- Does this aggregate include births to non-citizens?
- Yes, it incorporates all deliveries to mothers who are officially registered residents within the national borders.
- Can this count alone be used to measure fertility?
- No, because the absolute total does not account for the shifting size of the female population of childbearing age.