The number of births surpassed 190-thousand during the first nine months of 2025, marking the largest year-over-year increase in 18 years.

According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Wednesday, 191-thousand-40 babies were born between January and September, up 12-thousand-488 from the total born a year earlier.

Births in the third quarter expanded six-point-one percent from 2024 to 65-thousand-39, and the September tally jumped eight-point-six percent from the same month of last year to reach a five-year high of 22-thousand-369.

The total fertility rate, which is the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime, rose from zero-point-06 in the previous year to zero-point-85 in September.

The ministry forecast that the year's count of newborns would surpass last year's 238-thousand-317, based on the fact that births rose for the 15th consecutive month, while marriages increased for 18 months in a row.

Meanwhile, there were 85-thousand-51 deaths in the third quarter, down five percent on-year, resulting in a natural population decline of 20-thousand-11.