The number of babies born here rose at the fastest pace in 18 years in the first 11 months of last year, driven largely by an increase in marriages, government data showed Wednesday. A total of 233,708 babies were born between January-November in 2025, up 6.2 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Statistics. It marks the steepest on-year increase since 2007. The ministry said the total number of newborns in 2025 is expected to rise for a second consecutive year and surpass 238,317 babies recorded in 2024. In November alone, 20,710 babies were born, up 3.1 percent from 20,083 a year earlier. The November figure was the highest for the month since 2019, when 23,727 babies were born, the ministry said, noting that births are gradually recovering to pre-pandemic levels. The number of newborns has been on an upward trend since July 2024. The country’s total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.02 from a year earlier to 0.79 in November. The ministry said the recent rise in births appears t
Childbirths grow at fastest pace in 18 years on increased marriages
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