Greece is getting even smaller, according to data from ELSTAT which recorded 56,646 more deaths than births in 2023 (the figure was 64,706 in 2022).

The survey also shows a decline in marriages and a large increase in cohabitation, as well as an increase in divorce.

In particular, births in Greece in 2023 amounted to 71,455 (36,622 boys and 34,833 girls), recording a 6.1% decrease compared to 76,095 (39,305 boys and 36,790 girls) in 2022. Births do not include stillbirths, which in 2023 amounted to 432, down 3.1% from 446 in 2022.

The deaths amounted to 128,101 (64,898 males and 63,203 females), a 9% decrease from 140,801 (70,802 males and 69,999 females) in 2022. The deaths of infants under one year of age rose to 248, increasing the infant mortality ratio (deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births) from 3.1 in 2022 to 3.5 in 2023.

Μarriages totaled 40,351 (21,402 religious and 18,949 civil), a decrease of 6.9% compared to 2022, when 43,355 marriages (21,381 religious and 21,974 civil) had taken place. Civil partnerships totaled 15,069, an increase of 17.4% compared to 2022, when there were 12,840 partnerships. The 2023 cohabitation agreements include 262 cohabitation agreements between men and 121 between women.

At 37.5 the divorce rate per 100 marriages

The divorces rose to 15,114, an increase of 4.4% compared to 2022 (14,477 divorces). Regarding the type of divorce, eight out of ten divorces issued in the last five years were consensual. In 2023, 12,214 consensual divorces (80.8%) and 2,044 adversarial divorces (13.5%) were issued, while the type of divorce was not declared for 856 divorces (5.7%). Most divorce decrees for men were in the 45- 49 age group (20.1%), while for women in the 40- 44 age group (21.3%). 66.1% of divorces issued last year were for marriages lasting 10 years or more (9,990 divorces).

Finally, the ratio of divorces per 100 marriages was 37.5 in 2023, down from 33.4 in 2022, from 34.2 in 2021, from 41.2 in 2020, and from 32.1 in 2019.