Bulgaria had the highest birth rate in the EU in 2023

The birth rate in the EU in 2023 fell by 5.4% compared to 2022. This is the largest annual decrease since 1961. Bulgaria had the highest total birth rate in the EU in 2023 with 1.81 live births per woman. This is according to data published today by the European statistical office Eurostat. France is second with 1.66 live births per woman followed by Hungary with 1.55. At a European level, the total fertility rate for 2023 was 1.38 live births per woman, a decrease from 1.46 in 2022.