Declining Birth Rates Amidst a 'Growing' Economy: David Ananyan

Demographic silent collapse: alongside a 'growing' economy, declining birth rates, former head of the State Revenue Committee David Ananyan wrote on his Facebook page.

“As of October 1, 2025, Armenia's permanent population stood at 3 million 90.5 thousand. While there is a slight increase in numbers, the source of that growth is clear; it is not due to natural reproduction, but rather attributed to the registration of our compatriots displaced from Artsakh. Meanwhile, the real demographic picture continues to deteriorate.

1. Decrease in births –4.8%: From January to October 2025, 26,768 children were born, compared to 28,109 during the same period in 2024. This represents a decrease of 4.8% in births.

2. Sharp decline in natural increase –19%: The natural increase fell from 7,022 to 5,688, indicating a 19% decrease. This is not a usual fluctuation but a decline in the biological reproduction of the country, especially against the backdrop of declared economic growth.

3. Decrease in marriages –12.2%: In the first ten months of 2025, there were 11,574 registered marriages, compared to 13,175 in the same period of 2024, which shows a significant decline in trust towards the future, as people are making family decisions later and delaying their desire to reproduce (having children).

4. Increase in divorces: 348 cases for every 1,000 marriages. If in the period from January to October 2024, the divorce rate was 294 per 1,000, then in 2025 it increased to 348 per 1,000. This statistic reflects a measurement of family stability collapse. When divorces are rising while birth rates are declining, the country enters a long-term demographic risk zone.

5. Increase in mortality rates among infants and young children: Preliminary data for 2025 shows an increase of +11.5% in deaths among infants aged 0-1, and +13% among those aged 0-4. These numbers indicate that our healthcare system does not meet the demands of managing child risks.

This is no longer just a social issue but a matter of national security. When despite the touted economic growth, births are declining, families are decreasing, divorces are on the rise, and natural growth is falling, it is no longer just statistics but a real process of losing national resilience.

Economic growth has no value if it does not translate into life. If a country does not reproduce its population, if families become not the foundation of society but a burden, then any economic indicator loses its meaning. The main question we must ask ourselves is: How much is economic growth worth if it does not bring new life, new families, and new generations?” he stated.