Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_ Singapore has seen the lowest number of births since independence and the country’s worsening demographic crisis as couples continue to delay parenthood and have fewer children. Accordingly, official figures show that only 29,864 babies were born in 2025, the first time annual births have dipped below 30,000 since 1965. The number is a 11.4% drop from the 33,703 births recorded in 2024, according to the latest Report on Registration of Births and Deaths issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). The sharp decline reflects a long-term trend that has unfolded over several decades. During the 1970s, 1980s and much of the 1990s, Singapore typically recorded between 40,000 and 50,000 births every year. Over the past two decades, however, annual births have mostly remained below 40,000, with the latest figures marking a new historic low.
One of the biggest reasons behind the falling birth rate is that Singaporeans are marrying later in life. This has led women to have their first child later in life, which in turn cuts down the number of children they are likely to have over their reproductive years. The median age of first-time mothers has been on the rise, reaching 32.1 years in 2025 from 31.3 years in 2021. Medical experts have long pointed out that fertility naturally declines with age, making delayed parenthood a significant contributor to Singapore’s declining birth numbers. The educational and career aspirations of women have also played a part in family planning decisions. The latest figures show that about two-thirds of first-time mothers had university degrees, while only about one in ten had O-Level qualifications or less. Higher educational attainment is often linked to delayed marriage and childbirth as many women focus on career development before starting a family.
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Singapore’s fertility rate has also dropped to record lows. Earlier this year, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said that Singapore’s resident total fertility rate (TFR) had fallen sharply to 0.87 in 2025, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. The TFR measures the average number of children a woman is likely to have over her lifetime. Experts believe the declining birth rate is also driven by changing social attitudes. More Singaporeans are choosing to remain single, while many married couples are opting to have just one child or none at all because of financial pressures, demanding work schedules and the challenges of balancing careers with family life.
The falling number of births comes as Singapore’s population continues to age. The death toll increased to 26,499 in 2025 from 26,442 in 2024, with 87% of those who died aged 60 and above. The median age at death increased to 78.2 years, up from 76.1 years in 2016, reflecting a longer life expectancy in an aging population. A declining birth rate and increasing death rate pose a major long-term challenge. Government leaders have warned that Singapore’s citizen population could start to decline as early as the early 2040s if there is no stronger support for marriage and parenthood and good immigration management. To address the issue, authorities have set up the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup to find new ways to encourage family formation and reverse the declining birth rate in Singapore.
