Germany Divided

People & origins

Deaths per birth

Deaths for every live birth in the year, 2025

In 2025 the former East recorded 2.65 deaths for every birth, against 1.42 in the West. Saalfeld-Rudolstadt had the most (3.99), München the fewest (0.80); only 11 of 400 districts had more births than deaths.

< 1.401.401.832.252.67≥ 3.10

Inner-German border 1949–1990 ·401 districts · 2025

Former West

1.42

excl. Berlin

Former East

2.65

excl. Berlin

Berlin

1.13

Germany

1.54

Figures in deaths per birth

The East's figure is 1.9× the West's (2025).

By state

Former WestFormer EastBerlin
  1. Sachsen-Anhalt2.91
  2. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern2.85
  3. Thüringen2.82
  4. Sachsen2.48
  5. Brandenburg2.47
  6. Saarland1.97
  7. Schleswig-Holstein1.89
  8. Niedersachsen1.62
  9. Rheinland-Pfalz1.57
  10. Nordrhein-Westfalen1.48
  11. Hessen1.37
  12. Bremen1.35
  13. Bayern1.30
  14. Baden-Württemberg1.25
  15. Berlin1.13
  16. Hamburg1.07

2025

Notes & caveats

  • Deaths divided by live births in the same year and district (both as published by Destatis); East, West and state values are our calculation from the district counts.
  • Hanau became an independent city on 1 January 2026; for 2025 it is part of Main-Kinzig-Kreis, whose value the map shows for both.
Show the table
StateSide2025
Saarlandwest1.97 deaths per birth
Berlinberlin1.13 deaths per birth
Brandenburgeast2.47 deaths per birth
Mecklenburg-Vorpommerneast2.85 deaths per birth
Sachseneast2.48 deaths per birth
Sachsen-Anhalteast2.91 deaths per birth
Thüringeneast2.82 deaths per birth
Schleswig-Holsteinwest1.89 deaths per birth
Hamburgwest1.07 deaths per birth
Niedersachsenwest1.62 deaths per birth
Bremenwest1.35 deaths per birth
Nordrhein-Westfalenwest1.48 deaths per birth
Hessenwest1.37 deaths per birth
Rheinland-Pfalzwest1.57 deaths per birth
Baden-Württembergwest1.25 deaths per birth
Bayernwest1.30 deaths per birth