Birthrate reaches new low in second quarter of 2025

Births in Macau fell to a record low of 671 in the second quarter of 2025, marking the lowest level since official records began in 1998, according to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

The number of births declined by 10.5% compared to the previous quarter, which recorded 750 births. The majority of mothers giving birth during this quarter, as well as in the first halves of both 2024 and 2025, were recorded as being “ages 30 to 34.”

Comparatively, there were 1,409 births in the second quarter of 2020 and around 1,600 births in the same period in 2017, representing a decline of 52.4% from 2020 and about 58.1% from 2017.

Official data show that the total population stood at 685,900 at the end of the second quarter this year, marking a 0.3% decrease from the previous quarter and a year-on-year population decline of 1,100 individuals.

Based on the figures, the decrease seen in the total population this quarter was largely attributed to a reduction in the number of non-resident workers residing in Macau, with the figure dropping from 183,368 to 182,583 during this period (-0.43%).

Gender distribution within the population showed that there were 316,500 men and 369,400 women, with women making up 53.9% of the total population. Both genders experienced quarterly reductions, with men decreasing by 0.6% and women by 0.1%.

Death rates in the second quarter fell by 4.5% to 609, with tumors, diseases of the circulatory system, and respiratory diseases being the leading causes of death. Overall mortality for the first half of 2025 decreased by 21 compared to the previous year, totaling 1,247.

The number of suicides recorded this quarter by DSEC was 22 cases, representing a 29.4% increase from the 17 cases recorded in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, marriage registrations rose slightly, with 725 recorded between April and June 2025, compared to 717 in the first quarter, though total marriages in the first half of the year dropped by 220 from the previous year.

Changes in residency were notable, with the number of new resident permits granted falling by 34% to 356, while revoked and expired permits rose by 448.7% to 214.

In terms of non-resident workers, 65.8% of this category came from mainland China, followed by workers from the Philippines (17.2%), Vietnam (4.4%), Indonesia (4.3%), and Nepal (2.1%). Workers from Hong Kong accounted for 1.2%.

The demographic shifts outlined by DSEC highlight significant challenges for Macau’s population growth and labor market, reflecting deeper social and economic trends reshaping the region in the first half of 2025.