Hungary’s population decline slowed by 47 percent in January 2020 after 9.4 percent more births and 17 percent fewer deaths were registered compared with the same period last year, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Friday.

The number of marriages almost doubled, with 2,863 couples tying the knot, compared with the same period last year, and the highest January number since 1982.

In the first month of the year, 8,067 children were born, 694 more than in the same period last year, while 11,553 people died, 2,356 fewer than in January 2019.

The rate of natural population decline dropped to 0.42 percent from 0.79 percent in January 2019, KSH said.

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