Statistics Agency Releases Updated Figures on Population Decrease (7)

Published: 16.03.2012 12:41

Photo: Postimees/Scanpix

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Estonia's population decreased by 3,000 last year to 1.318 million, according to Statistics Estonia, slightly less of a decrease than the initial January estimate of minus 4,400.

Senior analyst for the agency Helerin Rannala said that the data were corrected after data on immigration and residence permits came in.

Decreased number of births and increased emigration contributed to the shrinkage in 2011.

Last year there were 14,679 births, 15,244 deaths, 3,709 people immigrated and 6,214 people emigrated.

Estonia had a female population of 707,700 and male population of 610,300 as of the beginning of the year.

The number of women decreased by 2,300 last year; and men by 670. The working-age population continued to decline - by 7,000 during the year. The number of children was up, however.

Tallinn was the main population center with close to one-third of all people, and 63 percent of people were urban.

The figures are based on the 2000 census data adjusted each year by data on births, deaths and migration.


Kristopher Rikken

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Comments (7)

  • Weird

    16.03.2012 13:29

    2300 women vs. 670 men! Lot of emigration of women with foreign husbands!

  • Worry

    16.03.2012 13:51

    This are most concernig and really depressing figures. I really hope that politics and stakeholders in society see the alarming trend and start taking it as a serious thread for Estonia's future development.

  • Worried as well

    16.03.2012 15:45

    The Estonians should have more children. If every couple is going to have 1 or no children, then no surprise there are these data. I think Estonians are too undecided about everything and they are never happy with what they have. I would like to take all Estonians to a trip in some of the "warm" countries, they think are paradise. And also take them to see that families in fact are a good thing, and not a horror like most of the Estonians think. I don't understand this fear of having a family, or as Estonians call "a big family" which is everything more than 3 people.

  • ameeriklane

    16.03.2012 15:52

    Worry: Unfortunately, the government mostly ignores the problem. It's not like it snuck up on them either - the population has been steadily declining for years, but they do little to address it. Notice this issue rarely makes front page news on Estonian sites. Also to put the decline of 3,000 people in perspective -- that's like losing the entire population of Otepaa 1.5 times.

  • Worry

    16.03.2012 16:12

    Actually, I seem to remember that someone (politics or businessmen) even praised emigration since there will be more jobs and wealth for the leftovers. Absolutely incompetent.

  • Välismaalane

    16.03.2012 17:57

    The government and the society should do more to instill some patriotism in Estonians, which seems to be missing. Many Estonians want to leave, and they think that beyond the borders of Estonia is a paradise, and they end up from bad to worse.

  • observer

    17.03.2012 05:38

    "they think that beyond the borders of Estonia is a paradise, and they end up from bad to worse. " Not sure about that. The media gives plenty of coverage to "Eestlased valismaal" and there are plenty of accounts in the comments sections from estonians working abroad, not to mention that a wide swathe of the country has family members or friends working abroad - there is enough information filtering back for those still in Estonia to know that it's not necessarily a "paradise" abroad, just that it is possible, with a bit of luck and hard work, to have a more comfortable life. As for "instilling patriotism", that's all fine and well, but when you have to feed your children, I'm afraid patriotism takes a back seat. And stories like the one in the Ekspress a couple of days ago about the disabled guy forced to eat only once a day as he tries to raise three children on a monthly allowance of €340 don't exactly instill confidence.