Terje Trasberg, population and education statistics team lead at Statistics Estonia, said that 26,399 people immigrated to and 12,543 people emigrated from Estonia last year.

"Natural increase was negative at -5,053 people, while net migration was positive at 13,856 people," Trasberg continued. "Estonia's population grew by 8,803 people in a year."

She added that last year was unfortunately characterized by an exceptionally low number of births – just under 11,000 in total.

Ukrainians 4.4 percent of population

According to the analyst, for the second year in a row, Estonia's population growth was driven primarily by Ukrainians arriving in the country. Half of all immigrants last year were of Ukrainian citizenship, 13,082 of whom remained permanently in Estonia.

Nonetheless, the number of immigrants with Ukrainian citizenship to arrive in 2023 fell by two and a half times on year.

"Last year, 12,543 people left Estonia, 1,643 of them Ukrainian citizens," Trasberg noted. "At the beginning of 2024, there were 60,414 people of Ukrainian citizenship living in Estonia, accounting for 4.4 percent of the population."

Of these, she added, 44,480, or 73 percent of them, have arrived in Estonia since the beginning of 2022.

Birth numbers drop further

In 2023, a total of 10,949 babies were born in Estonia, marking a decrease of 697 births on year and, with it, a new record low annual number of births recorded in Estonia's population statistics.

"The number of births, which has been falling for several years in a row, is above all a reflection of the prevailing mood in society," the Statistics Estonia team lead explained. "Uncertainty about the future, caused by both the economic downturn and the war in Ukraine, is discouraging families from having children."

Birth rates, she added, have declined in nearly all European countries in recent years.

Fewer first, second, third children born

First children account for 40 percent, second children for 34 percent and third children for 18 percent of all births. Last year, the average age of those giving birth in Estonia was 31, compared with 29 for first-time mothers.

"In the last five years, the average age of first-time mothers has increased by a year," Trasberg said.

"Of those who gave birth last year, 86 percent were of Estonian citizenship, 5 percent of Ukrainian citizenship and 3 percent of Russian citizenship," she added.

A total of 16,002 deaths were recorded in Estonia in 2023.

"Last year's number of deaths was down by 1,313 from the year before, and down by 2,585 from 2021, when this number peaked during [the first COVID-19] pandemic years," the analyst noted. "In 2023, the number of deaths fell back to the 2010-2019 average."

More arrivals than departures

In 2023, a total of 5,758 Estonian citizens arrived in and 5,511 citizens left the country, marking a net increase of 247 Estonian citizens. Among citizens of other countries, Ukrainians accounted for the highest number of arrivals in Estonia last year.

"There was a significant drop in both the immigration and emigration of Russian citizens," Trasberg pointed out. "The net migration of Russian citizens decreased from 1,335 in 2022 to 424."

Foreign EU citizens, meanwhile, accounted for 11 percent of Estonia's total immigration, she added.

Estonia continues to see the highest emigration to Finland, which totaled 2,487 last year. Another 2,514 people, meanwhile, arrived in Estonia from Finland in turn.

In terms of EU member states overall, the country still saw more people leave than arrive – with 5,276 people moving from Estonia to another EU country and 4,969 people from another EU member state to Estonia.

Ukrainian refugees not fully reflected in data

The migration data published by Statistics Estonia on Tuesday reflects people who have settled permanently in Estonia, i.e. immigrated, or lived permanently in Estonia prior to emigration. The number of emigrants does not include war refugees who were in transit through Estonia.

Data on Ukrainian war refugees is also collected in Estonia by the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), which publishes the number of people applying for temporary protection. People who have been granted temporary protection were only included in the preliminary population figure if they had settled permanently in Estonia.

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