The number of couples who got married in the Republic rose by 1,700 to 18,500 last year, according to the Vital Statistics for 1999. Births fell by 200 to 53,400. Births outside marriage rose by 1,400 to 16,500. Births outside marriage to teenage mothers rose by 200 to 3,200. Deaths rose by 300 to 31,700. The number of suicides fell from 504 to 439. The population rose by 39,800 to 3,744,700.