Analytics, Demography, EU – Baltic States

Latvia's death rate in 2009 was 13.3 deaths per 1,000 persons, which was the second highest in the EU behind Bulgaria, which registered a death rate of 14.2 deaths per 1,000 persons last year. In comparison, the EU's average death rate is 9.7 deaths per 1,000 persons, informs LETA.

The lowest death rate in the EU last year was registered in Ireland – 6.6 deaths per 1,000 persons, followed by Cyprus – 6.7 deaths per 1,000 persons, Luxembourg – 7.3 deaths per 1,000 persons, and Malta – 7.8 deaths per 1,000 persons.

On the other hand, Latvia registered one of the lowest birth rates in the EU last year – 9.6 births per 1,000 persons.

The lowest birth rate in the EU was registered in Germany – 7.9 births per 1,000 persons, followed by Austria – 91. births per 1,000 persons, Portugal – 9.4 births per 1,000 persons, and Italy – 9.5 births per 1,000 persons.

The highest birth rate in the EU in 2009 was registered in Ireland – 16.8 birth per 1,000 persons, followed by Great Britain – 12.8 births per 1,000 persons, France – 12.7 births per 1,000 persons, Cyprus – 12.2 births per 1,000 persons, and Sweden – 12 births per 1,000 persons.

Overall, the EU's population in 2009 reached 501.06 million.

The largest population increase in the EU in 2009 was registered in Luxembourg – +17.2 persons per 1,000 population, whilst the largest decline in population was registered in Lithuania – minus 6.2 persons per 1,000 population.

Latvia's population reduced by minus 5.7 persons per 1,000 population in 2009.

Europe's population crossed the half-a-billion mark officially this year, statisticians said on Tuesday, with an estimated 1.4 million more people living in the 27-nation European Union.

Eurostat said that in "relative terms," those countries with the largest net inflows were Luxembourg, Sweden, Slovenia, Italy and Belgium – with Ireland and Lithuania losing the most through emigration.

By comparison with leading rivals on the global stage, China's population will near 1.4 billion by 2015, according to media reports there this month, while India, last logged in 2001 at just over a billion, is currently struggling to complete its new census.