Germany's birth rate falls to lowest level since 1997

Germany recorded a total of 654,241 births in 2025, the smallest number since the post‑war period. The country’s combined fertility rate dropped to 1.32 children per woman, a 2.7 % decline from 2024 and the lowest figure since 1997. Regional variation was pronounced: Niedersachsen posted the highest rate at 1.38, Sachsen the lowest at 1.16, while Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern recorded the steepest year‑on‑year fall of 6.3 % to 1.21. Among women with German citizenship the rate fell to 1.20, whereas women with foreign citizenship averaged 1.78 children per woman. Parents’ average ages continued to rise, with mothers at 31.9 years and fathers at 34.8 years at childbirth. The statistical office warned that the current cohort of children will be the smallest adult generation in recent decades, with long‑term implications for the labour market and social security systems.