IBGE Data Show Fewer Births, More Deaths in 2024 as Divorces Dip and Marriages Edge Up

Overview

• Live births fell for the sixth straight year to about 2.37 million in 2024, a 5.8% drop from 2023, with declines recorded in every region.
• Registered deaths rose 4.6% to 1,495,386, the first annual increase since the 2021 peak, driven largely by population aging, with 6.9% attributed to external causes.
• Divorces decreased 2.8% to 428,301, breaking a four‑year rise, while trends diverged regionally as the North rose 9.1% and Ceará jumped about 9.8% against declines elsewhere.
• Marriages ticked up 0.9% to 948,925 yet remained below pre‑pandemic averages, and same‑sex unions hit a record 12,187, up 8.8% year over year.
• Shared custody in judicial divorces surpassed unilateral maternal custody for the first time (44.6% vs. 42.6%), reflecting evolving family‑law outcomes.