In a significant demographic shift, the population of the Czech Republic saw a remarkable increase of 310,800 individuals in 2022, reaching a total of 10.8 million, according to data released by the Czech Statistical Office. This noteworthy growth can primarily be attributed to the influx of people from war-torn Ukraine, where nearly 330,000 individuals sought refuge in the Czech Republic following the outbreak of the conflict.

Jan Cieslar, a spokesperson for the Czech Statistical Office, noted, “As of December 31, 2022, the registered population in our country reached 10.828 million, the highest number since the end of World War II.” The scale of foreign immigration, driven by the Ukrainian crisis, played a pivotal role in reshaping the country’s demographics.

In contrast to this remarkable surge in immigration, the natural change of the Czech population recorded a decline as the number of deaths exceeded the number of births by 18,900 individuals. However, the composition of the incoming Ukrainian population, in terms of gender and age, had a significant impact on the overall structure of the Czech population. The influx consisted largely of women of childbearing age, leading to a decrease in the proportion of the senior population (65 years and older) by 0.2 percentage points to 20.4%. Simultaneously, there was a slight increase in the child population (0-14 years) and the working-age population (15-64 years).

Jan Cieslar highlighted the demographic implications of this migration wave, stating, “The migration wave from Ukraine has slowed down the aging of the country’s population.” Consequently, the average age of the Czech Republic’s population, which had been steadily increasing since the early 1980s, decreased by two-tenths of a year to 42.6 years in 2022, representing a notable shift.

In 2022, there was also a noteworthy resurgence in the number of marriages, with 54,800 unions formed, marking an eight percent increase compared to the previous year. Of particular significance is the fact that 60.4% of men and 70.2% of women, the highest since 2008, entered into their first marriage before the age of 50, with men marrying on average at 32.5 years old and women at 30.3 years old.

Conversely, the declining trend in divorces observed over the past decade continued in 2022. A total of 19,800 divorces were registered, reflecting a six percent decrease compared to the previous year, and the overall divorce rate decreased by nearly 38% of marriages.

Despite a significant year-on-year decline in live births, totaling 10,500 fewer births, with 101,300 children born in 2022, the total fertility rate decreased to 1.62 children per woman of reproductive age. Notably, the number of deaths in 2022, surpassing 120,000 individuals, was the lowest among the pandemic years from 2020 to 2022, underscoring the evolving demographic landscape.

Furthermore, there was a notable improvement in life expectancy at birth in 2022. Men saw an increase of 2.1 years, reaching 76.1 years, while women experienced a 1.5-year gain, reaching an average of 82.0 years. These figures highlight the dynamic changes in the Czech Republic’s population and its response to global events, particularly the influx of Ukrainian immigrants, as well as shifting marital and demographic trends.

Article by Prague Forum