(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAY 2 - Last year, only about 693 thousand children were born in Germany, a 6.2% decrease from 2022 and the lowest number since 2013. The preliminary data, released today on the German Statistics Office's website, show that the decline is "slightly lower" than two years ago (-7.1%). The downturn, combined with marriage rates near historic postwar lows, exacerbates Europe's largest economy's demographic challenges, according to the Financial Times. (ANSA).