21/06/2013 00:00
TW
0

Palma.—Last year 11'000 babies were born in the islands, (a lot of them called Marc and Paula, currently the most popular names in the Balearics) some 13.5percent less than in 2008 (12.713), representing a decline of 2.3 percent compared to other regions in Spain.

This has nonetheless little to do with foreigners leaving the country.
Foreign mothers
Birth records from foreign mothers show that little has changed with 3.226 births last year and 3.274 the year before.
The problem in the decrease in number of births is accentuated considering ,the Balearics ranks first amongst the region in Spain with highest levels of mortality.

Last year, over 8'000 deaths were registered, over 6 percent more comparing with 2011, representing the highest level of deaths in the Balearics over the past decade.

Overall, the mortality rate shows that there were 7.4 deaths for every one thousand inhabitants, but that figure was still bellow the national average (8.6 percent).

In total, there were more 2.866 births than deaths.
The decrease in the number of births could derive from the reduction in the number of people getting married.
Civil ceremonies
Only 4.047 people got married last year, almost 400 less when compared to the same period the year before, and follows the downward trend , since 2008.

The figures also show that most couples prefer to get married through a civil ceremony (3.152) as oposed to a traditional church ceremony (801).