Erfurt (dpa/th) – The influx of refugees from the Ukraine has led to a population gain in Thuringia for the first time in the first half of the year. At the end of June, more than 2.12 million inhabitants were counted in the Free State, as the State Statistical Office announced on Tuesday in Erfurt. This means that the population has increased for the first time in the first six months of a year since 1991 – by 13,506 people or 0.6 percent.
The reason for this is that more people moved to the Free State (44,376) than emigrated (21,963). The number of people moving in has increased by 98 percent compared to the same period last year, and that of people leaving by 10.8 percent. According to the statisticians, 18,634 refugees from Ukraine came to Thuringia from January to June. Without immigration from the Ukraine, the Free State would have lost 5,128 people.
According to the information, for the first time since 1991, every Thuringian district recorded an increase in population in a six-month period. The city of Gera had the largest increase in population with 1.5 percent.
With the high influx, the birth deficit could also be compensated. In the first half of the year, 6,961 children were born in Thuringia, 592 babies or 7.8 percent fewer than in the same period last year. At the same time, 15,597 people died from January to June. That was around 2,000 deaths or 11.3 percent fewer than in the same period last year. These included around 1,100 deaths related to Covid-19. This was less than half of the Covid 19 deaths in the same period last year.
