Greece recorded a further drop in births in 2024, deepening concerns over the country’s demographic crisis. According to official figures released by the Greek Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) births fell by 4.2% compared with the previous year, underscoring a trend that experts warn could have long-term consequences for society and the economy.
A total of 68,467 children were born in 2024, down from 71,455 in 2023. The figures exclude stillbirths, which reached 454 last year — a 5.1% increase from 432 in 2023.
Meanwhile, deaths totaled 126,916 in 2024, a slight decrease of 0.9% compared with 128,101 in 2023. Infant deaths, however, rose to 261, pushing the infant mortality rate from 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023 to 3.8 in 2024.
Fewer Marriages, More Divorces
Marriage rates also declined, with 36,649 weddings taking place in 2024 — a 9.2% drop from 40,351 in 2023. Of these, 19,695 were religious ceremonies and 16,954 were civil.
Registered partnerships also fell, totaling 14,486 in 2024 compared with 15,069 the previous year. Among them were 192 male same-sex partnerships and 96 female same-sex partnerships. Same-sex marriages included 101 between men and 81 between women.
At the same time, divorces increased. Courts granted 15,532 divorces in 2024, up 2.8% from 15,114 in 2023. Of these, 82.4% were by mutual consent, 12.1% involved litigation, while for 5.4% the type was not specified. Notably, two-thirds of divorces (66.4%) concerned marriages that had lasted at least a decade.
The divorce-to-marriage ratio climbed sharply, with 42.4 divorces per 100 marriages in 2024. That figure stood at 37.5 in 2023, 33.4 in 2022, 34.2 in 2021, and 41.2 in 2020.
