Estonian population statistics 2022: record low births, all time high migration

Births table at the Pelgulinn maternity hospital in Tallinn. Source: Pelgulinna sünnitusmaja

Estonia saw the lowest birth rate in over a century in 2022, and a fall of 12 percent on the preceding year, state agency Statistics Estonia reports.

At the same time, the overall population grew exceptionally, at 2.6 percent on year, compared with a figure of around 0.1 percent for previous years.

This was due to immigration, particularly from Ukraine, whose arrivals were tenfold higher than in 2021, though immigration from Russia, too, is on the rise.

In all, Estonia's population rose by 34,088 persons in 2022, despite the record low birth rate.

As of January 1 this year, 1,365,884 people were resident in Estonia, the agency says.

Anet Müürsoo, Head of Population and Social Statistics Department at Statistics Estonia, called 2022 a "remarkable year" in terms of population statistics.

More Estonians from abroad continue to return to Estonia than to emigrate

In a trend that has continued for many years, Statistics Estonia reported that in 2022 6,981 Estonian citizens arrived in the country and 5,352 left, with arrivals outnumbering departures by 1,629.

This included 2,374 Estonian citizens arriving back from Finland, which by far has the largest community of Estonians living abroad with numbers estimated to be between 50,000 and 70,000.