PARIS, FEB. 8, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Births in France in 2000 increased 5% over the previous year, the biggest increase in Europe, the French Statistical Institute reported.
France was followed by Italy, where births rose 4.3%, and Ireland, up 3.7%. Great Britain and Finland were at the bottom of the list of 15 countries of the European Union; both saw a 3% decline. Germany and Belgium were almost unchanged from 1999´s figures.
Overall, births in the European Union rose 1.3% last year, with 4.5 million babies born.
