The birth rate of people of foreign background has decreased in recent years and has approached the birth rate of people with a native Finnish background, Statistics Finland said on Friday.
The birth rate of people of foreign background, especially those of the second generation, i.e., born in Finland, is closer to that of people of Finnish background. The birth rate of individuals of foreign background born in Finland is slightly lower than that of those born abroad.
The state numbers agency's calculations are based on individuals’ "origin and background country", including their nationality, native language and country of birth.
It found that the differences in the birth rate narrowed during the study period of 1990 to 2024.
Narrowing gap
Last year, the total fertility rate for women of foreign background was 1.39, while for women of Finnish background the figure was 1.23.
The total fertility rate for men of foreign background was 1.21 and for men of Finnish background it was 1.10.
The total fertility rate indicates how many children, on average, you would have in your lifetime if the birth rate remained at the level of the year of calculation.
Meanwhile, the proportion of childless adults in Finland is among the highest in Europe and OECD countries, based on data from the Family Federation of Finland.
