Number of native Finnish language speakers drops below five million

The number of people speaking Finland’s national languages—Finnish, Swedish, or Sámi—fell below five million in March for the first time in decades, according to preliminary population statistics from Statistics Finland.

As of the end of March, Finland’s total population stood at approximately 5.65 million, with 88 percent—roughly 4.97 million—speaking one of the national languages. The figure marks a decline from previous years, reversing a long-term trend.

The number of national language speakers first exceeded five million in 1992 and peaked in 2013 at nearly 5.2 million. Since 2014, however, the count has steadily decreased. Statistics Finland attributes the decline to an aging population and lower birth rates among native language speakers.