The number of registered prostitutes of all sexes fell by more than one-third in 2020 due to COVID, when brothels and similar services were closed in Germany.

At the end of 2020, around 24,900 prostitutes were officially registered, down by 38 per cent, the official statistics office, Destatis, reported on Thursday.

Most of the prostitutes carried foreign passports of which 35 per cent were Romanians, 11 per cent Bulgarians while German nationals made up around a fifth of the figures.

Brothels and other sex services were closed for months throughout 2020, as the registration process was stopped.

At the end of 2020, some 2,290 businesses in the sector were in possession of a permit.

According to the figures, 79 per cent of the registered prostitutes were aged between 21 and 44 years, 18 per cent older and 3 per cent between 18 and 21.

Prostitution is legal in Germany and current legislation, which took effect in July 2017, requires prostitutes to register with the authorities.

A large number of unregistered prostitutes were, however, not included in the figures released by Destatis.(dpa/NAN)