Uruguay now records more deaths than births
Registered live births and deaths in Uruguay, thousands, 2010–2024. 2024 figures are preliminary.
Births in Uruguay in 2024, down 39% from 48,926 in 2015.
The year deaths first outnumbered births in the 2010–2024 data. In 2024, after Covid deaths eased, they still led by 6,057.
In a row with more deaths than births. Without migration, Uruguay's population would shrink.
the numbers & method
| Year | Births (k) | Deaths (k) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 47.4 | 33.2 |
| 2011 | 46.7 | 32.7 |
| 2012 | 48.1 | 33.4 |
| 2013 | 48.7 | 32.7 |
| 2014 | 48.4 | 32.1 |
| 2015 | 48.9 | 33.0 |
| 2016 | 47.1 | 34.3 |
| 2017 | 43.0 | 33.2 |
| 2018 | 40.1 | 34.1 |
| 2019 | 37.5 | 34.8 |
| 2020 | 35.9 | 32.6 |
| 2021 | 34.6 | 41.2 |
| 2022 | 32.3 | 39.3 |
| 2023 | 31.4 | 34.7 |
| 2024 | 29.9 | 36.0 |
Claim types Fact · Interpretation
Registered live births (Certificados de Nacido Vivo) and deaths (Certificados de Defunción). 2019–2024 births and deaths: MSP presentation 'Estadísticas Vitales', 'Datos preliminares 2024' (births 37,472; 35,874; 34,603; 32,301; 31,385; 29,899 / deaths 34,807; 32,638; 41,168; 39,322; 34,678; 35,956). 2010–2018 deaths: INE Anuario Estadístico Nacional 2025, table 2.3.4 (source MSP): 33,156; 32,724; 33,354; 32,698; 32,122; 32,967; 34,273; 33,173; 34,128 (https://www.gub.uy/instituto-nacional-estadistica/comunicacion/publicaciones/anuario-estadistico-nacional-2025-vol-102/23-indicadores-demograficos-2). INE gives 35,958 deaths for 2024 vs MSP's preliminary 35,956; the chart uses MSP. 2010–2018 births: MSP presentation 'Natalidad, fecundidad y mortalidad infantil en Uruguay 2018' (47,420; 46,712; 48,059; 48,681; 48,368; 48,926; 47,058; 43,036; 40,139, 2018 preliminary), https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica/sites/ministerio-salud-publica/files/documentos/noticias/Presentaci%C3%B3n%20natalidad%20fecundidad%20y%20mortalidad%20infantil%20en%20Uruguay%202018.pdf. 2021–2022 deaths were raised by Covid-19; 2023 and 2024 deaths are back near pre-Covid levels while births kept falling, so the gap is now driven by births. The 39% fall and the 6,057 gap are progrss calculations. Takeaway 3's second clause is Interpretation (net migration not charted). Chart values rounded to 0.1 thousand.
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