The number of children aged 0-17 living in Romania, on January 1, 2024, was 3.796 million, down by 80,700 compared to the same date of 2023, according to a press release from the National Institute of Statistics sent on the occasion of International Children’s Day.

The share of U-18 in the total population by domicile was, on January 1, 2024, 17.4%, down compared to previous years. The share of boys in the segment of the population younger than 18 was, in recent years, higher (51.4%) compared to that of girls of the same age; the masculinity ratio was 1,057 boys to 1,000 girls.

According to the INS, in 2023, the number of live births registered at civil status offices in Romania was 155,430, the lowest number of live births since 1930 until now. In 2023, the fertility rate decreased compared to previous years, reaching 30.7 live births per 1000 women of childbearing age (15-49 years).

The highest birth rates, recorded in 2023, were in the Northwest (8 live births per 1,000 inhabitants) and Center (7.7 live births per 1,000 inhabitants) regions, and the lowest birth rates were recorded in the South-East (6.4 live births per 1,000 inhabitants) and South-West Oltenia (6.3 live births per 1,000 inhabitants) regions.

At the beginning of the 2023/2024 school year, the school population was 3.466 million, included in an education network with 7,102 units and 245,000 teaching staff.

Of the total school population, the number of children in nurseries and kindergartens was 547,700, of primary and secondary school students was 1.597 million, and of those in high school education was 602,000. For the same reference period, the degree of inclusion in education of the school-age population was 70.3%. Of the total number of enrolled students, 2.190 million were in full-time education.

AGERPRES