The population in Sweden increased by 160 persons in total in April, according to preliminary figures: 143 women and 17 men. Calculated on a monthly basis, this is the lowest absolute population increase since December 2001.

“There are two reasons for the low population increase at national level. In part, the number of deaths exceeded the number of births, and in part, the immigration surplus is at the lowest rate since the late 1990s,” says Ann-Marie Persson, population statistician at Statistics Sweden.

Unusual shortfall

In April, there were 10 515 deaths in Sweden, which was 2 880 excess deaths compared with 2015–2019, when the average number of deaths in April was 7 635. At the same time, there were 9 706 births in April this year, which is 66 more than in March, but 358 fewer than in April 2019.

“More deaths than births in April is unusual. Up to this year, there was an excess of births throughout the 2000s in the month of April. This year, there was a shortfall of 809 births, which is the largest shortfall of births in a month since December 2004,” says Ann-Marie Persson.

In April 2020, the population decreased in 115 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities. The largest absolute population decrease was in Stockholm municipality, a shortfall of 606 people. At the same time, the population decreased by 204 persons in Stockholm County, which can be compared with April 2019, when it increased by 2 754 persons.

Small immigration surplus

In April 2020, 3 411 person immigrated, while 2 442 persons emigrated, which led to an immigration surplus of 969 persons: 552 women and 417 men. However, statistics on immigration and emigration are burdened by a large lag. This is why the preliminary statistics for international migration has been compared with earlier preliminary statistics here. Based on these statistics, the immigration surplus for April 2020 was the lowest surplus noted throughout the 2000s.

Sweden’s population has only decreased during one month in the 2000s: January 2000, when the population decreased by 1 836 persons.

Facts: Sweden’s population

On 30 April 2020, Sweden had a population of 10 345 449 persons, which is 160 more than the previous month.

Links: 

The population per month, by region, age and sex (link to the Statistical Database)

Statistics Sweden Population statistics

Preliminary statistics on deaths (Excel file)

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