Bosnia and Herzegovina records first natural population increase in years

For the first time in decades, Bosnia and Herzegovina saw more births than deaths in the first quarter of the year. Official statistics show 5,551 children were born between January and March, a 6.2% rise over the same period last year, while the number of deaths fell to 9,000, down 4.6%. The natural population decline narrowed to 3,449 people, compared with a loss of 4,208 in the previous year, raising the vital‑index from 55.39 to 61.68.

Demographers note the improvement reflects a combination of modest wage growth, higher employment, and targeted pronatalist measures such as one‑off newborn allowances and childcare subsidies. While experts caution that a single quarter does not guarantee a lasting reversal of long‑term depopulation, the data have sparked optimism among citizens and policymakers about a possible demographic turnaround.