In Karlovac County last year, 815 babies were born and 1,740 people died, meaning the county lost 925 residents naturally in just one year, KAportal reports.
The negative trend affects the entire country. In Croatia last year, 32,479 babies were born, while 50,007 people died, resulting in a difference of 17,528 people. Although the migration balance has been positive in recent years and some people are returning from abroad, the natural decline continues to strongly reduce the population.
Towns in the county generally record a ratio of approximately two deaths for every one newborn. In Karlovac, 355 babies were born and 738 people died; statistics use the mother's place of residence rather than the location of birth at the Karlovac maternity hospital. In Ogulin, the ratio is 87 births against 197 deaths, in Duga Resa 72 against 137, in Ozalj 45 against 85, and in Slunj 32 against 79.
The situation is most severe in the municipality of Krnjak, where six children were born last year and 37 people died. A vitality index of 16.2 places Krnjak among the worst municipalities in all of Croatia. At the national level, no babies were born in three municipalities last year: Žumberak in Zagreb County, and Civljani and Kijevi in Šibenik-Knin County.
However, every municipality in Karlovac County gained at least one new resident last year, with Ribnik recording the fewest with two newborns. Rakovica, with 24 births and 25 deaths, and Draganić, with 22 newborns and 23 deaths, came closest to balancing the number of births and deaths.
