In the Karlova County, 815 babies were born last year, while 1,740 people died, meaning the county lost 925 residents through natural causes, KAportal reports.
The negative trend is affecting the entire country. In Croatia, 32,479 babies were born last year, while 50,007 people died, representing a difference of 17,528 people. Although the migration balance has been positive in recent years, with some people returning from abroad, the natural decrease continues to reduce the population.
Municipalities in the county generally record a ratio of approximately two deaths for every one birth. In Karlovac, 355 babies were born, while 738 people died; the statistics take into account the mother's place of residence, not the location of the birth in the local maternity hospital. In Ogulin, the ratio was 87 births against 197 deaths, in Duga Resa 72 against 137, in Ogulin 45 against 85, and in Slunje 32 against 79.
The situation is most severe in the municipality of Krnjak, where six children were born last year against 37 deaths. An index of 16.2 places Krnjak among the worst municipalities in all of Croatia. At the national level, no births were recorded in three municipalities last year: Žumberak in Zagreb County, and Civljani and Kijev in Šibenik-Knin County.
However, every municipality in the Karlova County received at least one new resident, with the least recorded in Ribnik, where two children were born. The closest to equilibrium between births and deaths were Rakovića, with 24 births and 25 deaths, and Draganić, with 22 newborns and 23 deaths.
