Over 2,500 children were born and more than 800 deaths were recorded during the first six months of this year, according to statistics from the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS).
The "Maldives Vital Statistics Quarterly Bulletin" released by the MBS in collaboration with the Ministry of Health shows that 2,538 children were born in the first two quarters of this year.
That comprises 1,225 children in the first three months and 1,313 children in the second quarter. Among them, the majority were male children, accounting for 1,309 births.
The figures show that 813 people died in the Maldives during the same period. That consists of 722 Maldivians and 89 foreigners. Among these as well, the majority were males, with 490 deaths.
Elderly people account for the largest percentage of those who died:
- Age 65 and above: 488 deaths
- Age between 18 and 64 years: 263 deaths
- Young children (between 0 and 4 years): 30 deaths
- Children between 5 and 17 years: 10 deaths
The highest number of people died in the Malé area:
- Malé area: 450 deaths
- Atolls: 343 deaths
While more than half of the people who died last year passed away in Malé, the next highest number of deaths occurred in Haa Dhaalu Atoll and Addu City.
