According to Armenia’s Statistical Committee, from January to August 2024, the country saw a 4.9% increase in mortality and a 7.3% decrease in the birth rate compared to the same period last year.
The mortality rate in Armenia increased by 4.9% year-on-year. Between January and August 2024, a total of 17,213 people died. The leading cause of death remained circulatory system diseases, which claimed the lives of 9,208 individuals (53.5% of the total deaths). Neoplasms were the second leading cause, responsible for 3,489 deaths (20.3%).
Significant increases in mortality were observed for diseases of the digestive system (15.9%) and respiratory organs (10.6%). Particularly alarming was the sharp 66.7% rise in deaths from infectious diseases.
At the same time, Armenia experienced a decline in birth rates. In the first eight months of 2024, 21,876 children were born, a 7.3% drop compared to the same period in 2023. The downward trend in birth rates has been ongoing since the start of the year.
Additionally, stillbirths increased by 11.2% compared to the previous year, reaching 307 cases.
As a result of these changes, the vitality index (the ratio of births to deaths) dropped from 143.8% in January-August 2023 to 127.1% for the same period in 2024.
