ArmInfo.Despite the natural increase, the population of Armenia decreased by 10.1 thousand over year and amounted to 2 969.8 thousand people as of July 1. According to the Statistical Committee of Armenia, the urban population decreased by 3.6 thousand people, amounting to 1,894.4 thousand citizens, while the number of rural residents decreased by 6.5 thousand to 1,075.4 thousand.
During the first half of 2018, the population decreased by 2.9 thousand because of the difference between natural increase of 3.1 thousand and emigration outflow, which reduced the number by 6 thousand. In the same period of 2017, the natural increase was 2.6 thousand, and the migration outflow was 8.8 thousand. In 2016 the increase was 4.0 thousand, the outflow - 7.5 thousand people.
Nevertheless, from 2016 to 2018 (the first half), the number of births gradually decreased in the country from 18,393 to 16,189. The number of deaths decreased from 14,403 in the first half of 2016 to13,112 in 2018. However, the number of marriages is also decreasing. In the first half of 2016, 7,739 marriages were concluded, and in the same period of the current year - 6,802. At the same time, the number of divorces is increasing from 1,753 to 1,915. Moreover, the maximum amount of divorces was registered for the same period of 2017 - 1,949 people.
According to expert estimates, in the first half of this year, one of the lowest levels of population decline has been recorded in the country in recent years.