Demographics of Northern Ireland

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Demographics of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four parts of the United Kingdom in terms of both area and population, containing 2.9% of the total population and 5.7% of the total area of the United Kingdom. It is the smaller of the two political entities on the island of Ireland by area and population, the other being the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland contains 27.1% of the total population and 16.75% of the total area of the island of Ireland.

Quick Facts Northern Ireland, Population ...
Demographics of Northern Ireland
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Population pyramid of Northern Ireland in 2020
Population1,903,175 (2021 census)
Density133 per km2
Life expectancy
  male78.4 years[1]
  female82.3 years
Age structure
0–14 years19%
15–64 years64%
65 and over17%
Nationality
Major ethnicWhite 97%
Minor ethnicother ethnic groups 3%
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The Belfast Metropolitan Area dominates in population terms, with over a third of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland.

When Northern Ireland was created, it had a Protestant majority of approximately two-to-one,[2][3][4] unlike the Republic of Ireland, where Catholics were in the majority.[5] The 2001 census was the first to show that the Protestant and other (non-Catholic) Christian share of the population had dropped below 50%, but 53.1% still identified as being from a Protestant or other Christian background. In the 2011 census, this dropped to 48.4%.[6][4] In 2021, the recorded number of Catholics by background (45.7%) overtook the Protestant and other Christian by background share (43.48%), becoming the plurality, with no group in the overall majority.[7][8][9][10]

Its people speak Irish (Gaelic), Ulster Scots and Ulster English which is itself heavily influenced by the Scots language of which Ulster Scots is a dialect. In addition the Ulster dialect of Irish (Gaelic) also has a closer connection to Scottish Gaelic than other Irish (Gaelic) dialects. This is both because of historic links with Scotland going back centuries, and because of settlements of lowland Scots Protestants in Ulster in the 17th century, such as the Plantation of Ulster.

Also unlike the Republic, a large proportion of people in Northern Ireland have a British national identity, although a significant minority identifies as Irish. Many people in Northern Ireland have a Northern Irish identity, whether in addition to a British or Irish identity or by itself.

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Perspective
Population of Northern Ireland over time
More information Year, Pop. ...
Population census
YearPop.±%
1841 1,648,945    
1851 1,442,517−12.5%
1861 1,396,453−3.2%
1871 1,359,190−2.7%
1881 1,304,816−4.0%
1891 1,236,056−5.3%
1901 1,236,952+0.1%
1911 1,250,531+1.1%
1926 1,256,561+0.5%
1951 1,370,921+9.1%
1961 1,425,042+3.9%
1971 1,536,065+7.8%
1981 1,543,000+0.5%
1991 1,607,300+4.2%
2001 1,685,267+4.9%
2011 1,810,863+7.5%
2021 1,903,175+5.1%
2023[11] 1,920,400+0.9%
Note: 1981 and 1991 data are mid-year estimates.[12] Data for years prior to 1926 are from the Census of Ireland, for those counties that became Northern Ireland in 1920.
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Population change by DEA between 2011 and 2021
More information Cities and towns by population, # ...
Cities and towns by population[13]

Belfast

Derry

# Settlement Population Metro

population

Lisburn

Newry

1 Belfast 293,300 626,339
2 Derry 85,279 94,376
3 Lisburn [14] 51,447 84,090
4 Craigavon Urban Area 72,301
5 Metropolitan Newtonabbey [14] 67,599
6 Bangor [14] 64,596
7 Metropolitan Castlereagh [14] 58,762
8 Ballymena 31,205
9 Newtownards 29,677
10 Newry 28,530
11 Carrickfergus [14] 28,141
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Fertility

Population density

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Population density of Northern Ireland based on 2021 census

Northern Ireland's population density is 133 people per square kilometre – comparable to European countries such as Denmark and the Czech Republic. If Northern Ireland were a sovereign state, it would have the 16th-highest population density in Europe. It has a higher population density than Scotland (70 people per km2), but less than England (434 per km2) and Wales (153 per km2).[15]

Belfast is the most population-dense of the 11 local government districts at 2,617 per km2, with the highest population (345,418)[16] and least land area (133 km2)[17] of any district, and includes both Belfast City and much of the Metropolitan Castlereagh settlement (formerly part of the Castlereagh local government district before 2015).

Fermanagh and Omagh is the least dense district, with the lowest population (116,812)[18] and greatest land area (2,836 km2). It includes all of Northern Ireland's least-populous county, Fermanagh (except the townland of Killybane near Fivemiletown), and the largely rural former Omagh district.

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The 217 wards with the highest population density which make up 50.2% of the population. They have a combined area of 460.1km2, 3.3% of Northern Ireland's total area. Overlaid: railways (black), rail stations (yellow), motorways (blue), dual carriageways (green).

Of the 80 District Electoral Areas that make up the local government districts, Botanic in Belfast has the highest population density at 4,653 people per km2,[19] as well as being the most populous DEA (49,727 people in 2021).[20] The DEA includes Belfast city centre, Queen's University, and much of the city's student population.

Erne West in Fermanagh and Omagh has the lowest population density of any DEA, with 20 people per km2, as well as being the least populous DEA (14,661 people in 2021). Erne West is largely mountainous and separated from the rest of Northern Ireland by Lough Erne, with only a few roads around and over the lough. The largest settlement, Bellanaleck, a small village near Enniskillen, is home to only 714 people,[21] and is apart from the other small villages spread through Erne West's large, narrow area.

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The 216 contiguous wards with the highest population density, which make up 50.02% of the population. They have a combined area of 1,299km2, 9.4% of Northern Ireland's total area. Overlaid: railways (black), rail stations (red), motorways (blue), dual carriageways (green).
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Another way to show the majority of Northern Ireland's population is as a contiguous area centred on Belfast and nearby settlements (red) and the surrounding area (yellow). This highlights the concentration of Northern Ireland's population - and its road and rail infrastructure - around greater Belfast.

As of 2021, 50.2% of Northern Ireland's population lived in the 217 most population-dense electoral wards (around 47% of Northern Ireland's 462 wards). The 217 wards have an area of 460.1 km2, 3.3% of Northern Ireland's total area. Of these 217 wards, 99 are a contiguous area covering most of Belfast, Castlereagh, Lisburn and Newtownabbey. These 217 wards are highlighted in red on the map.

These wards cover part or all of the 28 largest settlements in Northern Ireland, as well as Warrenpoint, Donaghadee, Ballynahinch, Moira, Maghera and Coalisland. The vast majority of these wards contain or are near a motorway, dual carriageway or train station. Considering this, the most remote wards are the Portora and Erne wards in Ennskillen, which are 30 miles from the A4 dual carriageway near Ballygawley.

Furthermore, 50.02% of Northern Ireland's population lived in the most population-dense contiguous area of 216 electoral wards. These 216 wards have an area of 1,299 km2, 9.4% of Northern Ireland's total area. These 216 wards are highlighted in purple on the map. These wards cover part or all of the 10 largest settlements, and almost entirely track Northern Ireland's rail lines, motorways and dual carriageways. The exceptions are a spur towards Armagh city; and a string of villages between Ballymena and Limavady.

The electoral wards in Northern Ireland with the highest and lowest population density are listed in the table below:

More information No., Electoral Ward (2012) ...
No. Electoral Ward (2012) District Electoral Area (2012) Local Government District (2012) Electoral Ward population (2021)[22] Density (/km2)[23] Area (km2)
1 Ardoyne Oldpark Belfast 5,490 10,235.66 0.54
2 Woodstock Titanic Belfast 6,431 9,649.75 0.67
3 Windsor Botanic Belfast 11,302 8,183.80 1.38
4 Clonard Court Belfast 5,999 7,641.16 0.79
5 Bloomfield Titanic Belfast 5,894 7,224.94 0.82
6 Beersbridge Titanic Belfast 6,610 6,952.38 0.95
7 New Lodge Oldpark Belfast 4,881 6,815.49 0.72
8 Connswater Titanic Belfast 5,929 6,387.94 0.93
9 Ballymurphy Black Mountain Belfast 5,131 6,329.39 0.81
10 Beechmount Black Mountain Belfast 5,394 6,255.17 0.86
11 Woodvale Court Belfast 5,170 6,143.26 0.84
12 Ballymacarrett Titanic Belfast 5,905 5,972.05 0.99
13 Shankill Court Belfast 6,445 5,793.76 1.11
14 Fairview Three Mile Water Antrim and Newtownabbey 3,115 5,610.43 0.56
15 Central Botanic Belfast 15,446 5,497.58 2.81
16 Cregagh Lisnasharragh Belfast 4,587 5,418.46 0.85
17 Fortwilliam Castle Belfast 4,717 5,381.77 0.88
18 Shantallow Ballyarnett Derry City and Strabane 3,667 5,317.61 0.69
19 Silverstream Bangor West Ards and North Down 3,960 5,305.38 0.75
20 Rosetta Lisnasharragh Belfast 5,793 5,215.15 1.11
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
443 Derrylin Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 2,794 26.45 105.65
444 Dunnamanagh Sperrin Derry City and Strabane 3,513 25.75 136.45
445 Fairy Water West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 2,826 25.57 110.50
446 Boho, Cleenish and Letterbreen Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 3,466 24.76 139.99
447 Dungiven Benbradagh Causeway Coast and Glens 3,297 24.44 134.88
448 Rosslea Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 2,331 24.43 95.43
449 Magilligan Limavady Causeway Coast and Glens 3,481 24.00 145.01
450 Donagh Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 2,527 23.17 109.06
451 Fivemiletown Clogher Valley Mid Ulster 3,174 21.34 148.76
452 Brookeborough Erne East Fermanagh and Omagh 2,579 20.88 123.50
453 Drumquin West Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 2,910 18.38 158.31
454 Derrygonnelly Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 2,898 18.00 160.98
455 Slemish Braid Mid and East Antrim 3,207 17.90 179.17
456 Florence Court and Kinawley Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 2,883 17.61 163.75
457 Belleek and Boa Erne North Fermanagh and Omagh 3,123 15.94 195.90
458 Glenderg Derg Derry City and Strabane 3,200 15.09 212.05
459 Owenkillew Mid Tyrone Fermanagh and Omagh 2,698 14.40 187.30
460 Torr Head and Rathlin The Glens Causeway Coast and Glens 3,597 14.21 253.11
461 Glenelly Valley Sperrin Derry City and Strabane 3,403 13.25 256.90
462 Belcoo and Garrison Erne West Fermanagh and Omagh 2,644 13.07 202.26
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Place of birth

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Perspective
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Place of birth by age group[24]
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Map showing the percentage of the population born outside Northern Ireland according to the 2021 census.

In 2001, 91.0% of the population were born in Northern Ireland, 7.2% were born in other parts of the UK and Ireland, and 1.8% were born elsewhere. By 2021, the proportion of immigrants from outside the UK and Ireland had risen to 6.6%, while the proportion born within other parts of the UK and Ireland had fallen to 6.9%. The highest number of non-British/Irish immigrants are in Belfast City Council, followed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Mid Ulster District Council. The town of Dungannon in Mid Ulster District Council has a bigger share of immigrants than any town in Northern Ireland, while Derry City and Strabane has the smallest share of immigrants.[25]

More information Place of Birth, Number ...
Place of Birth 2001[26] 2011[27] 2021[28]
Number %Number % Number %
Northern Ireland1,534,26891.041,608,85388.84 1,646,276 86.50%
England61,6093.6664,7173.57 72,940 3.83%
Scotland16,7721.0015,4550.85 16,521 0.87%
Wales3,0080.182,5520.14 2,796 0.15%
Republic of Ireland39,0512.3237,8332.09 40,357 2.12%
Other European Union member countries10,3550.61 67,451 3.54%
— Member countries prior to 2004 expansion9,7030.54
— Accession countries 2004 onwards35,7041.97
Other outside the EU20,2041.2036,0461.99 57,012 2.99%
Europe 3,689 0.19%
Africa 10,761 0.57%
Middle East and Asia 29,241 1.54%
North, Central America and Caribbean 8,207 0.43%
South America 1,858 0.10%
Oceania and other 3,076 0.16%
Total1,685,267100.001,810,863100.00 1,903,173 100%
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Below are the 5 largest foreign-born groups in Northern Ireland according to 2014 ONS estimates.[29]

More information Country of birth, Estimated population, 2013 ...
Country of birth Estimated population, 2013 Estimated population, 2014 Estimated population, 2015
Poland 25,000 20,000 18,000
Lithuania 7,000 8,000 13,000
India 8,000 6,000 6,000
Philippines 3,000 4,000 5,000
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Emigration

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Perspective

Detailed statistic on births are available between 1887 and 2022 in Birth tables [30] and deaths between 1955 and 2022 in Death tables [31]

Using deaths and births between 1955 and 2021, and the number of those from the 2021 census whose country of birth is Northern Ireland, we can estimate emigration for those aged under 66 by subtracting the total of the number of deaths and the number of those born in Northern Ireland who are still living there.

More information All ages, 18-66 year olds ...
Northern Irish emigration estimates
All ages18-66 year olds
Births 1955-20211,801,5521,353,624
Deaths 1955-2021 among those born 1955-202178,91476,226
Country of birth is Northern Ireland in 2021 Census, ages 0–661,389,081965,538
Estimated Emigration333,557311,860
Estimated Emigration as a percentage of births18.5%23.0%
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This gives an estimate of 18.5% of all people born since 1955 have emigrated, or 23% of adults aged 18–66. This is an estimate of the minimum amount of emigration, since deaths are not broken down by country of birth, so some of those will not have been born in Northern Ireland. Most deaths occur in the over 50 and currently about 12.5% of those aged 50 and over were born outside Northern Ireland. Adjusting the number of deaths downwards by 12.5%, we can estimate an emigration rate of 18.5 to 19% for all ages, and 23.0% to 23.7% for adults aged 18–66.

Doing the same analysis by age shows that this is consistent with the actual number of those born in Northern Ireland from the 2021 England/Wales census,[32] where about 40% of emigrants have settled in England or Wales.

Below are the numbers of Northern Ireland born living outside Northern Ireland from the most recent censuses for England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

More information 0-17 year olds, 18-34 year olds ...
Northern Irish emigration to other countries
0-17 year olds18-34 year olds34-65 year olds65+ year oldsTotal
England[32]5,73037,19387, 24560,362190, 534
Scotland[33]1,35410,06118,0297,81737,260
Wales[32]2731,5413,4712,5217,806
Total UK7,35748,795108,74570,700235,600
Ireland[34]61,750
Australia[35]3,29310,2449,45022,995
New Zealand[36]4,806
Total325,151
Based on UK emigration
United States[37]693,465 UK emigrants18,700
Canada[38]464,135 UK emigrants12,500
EU (excluding Ireland)[39]994,000 UK emigrants26,800
TotalEstimated from 2.7% of UK figures58,000
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Numbers for other countries are not available for the individual countries that make up the UK, so it is not possible to accurately determine the number living in the US, Canada, or the EU (excluding Ireland). The numbers estimated from total UK emigrants are included in the above table but not included in the total.

Of those born in Northern Ireland and aged between 16 and 24, 64% living in England and 72% living in Scotland are full time students.[40][41]

Ethnicity

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Perspective

The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents for the following censuses

More information Ethnic group, 1991 estimates ...
Ethnic group 1991 estimates[42] 2001[43][44] 2011[45][46] 2021[47][48]
Number % Number %Number % Number %
White: Total 99.8%1,672,69899.25%1,779,750

98.28%

1,841,713 96.77%
White 1,670,98899.15%1,778,44998.21%
White: British/Irish/Northern Irish only (national identity) and Christian/no religion/religion not stated (religion) 1,749,970 91.9%
White: Other 87,607 4.6%
White: Irish Traveller/White Gypsy 1,7100.10%1,3010.07% 2,609 0.14%
White: Roma 1,529 0.08%
Asian or Asian British: Total 6,8240.40%19,1301.06% 30,667 1.61%
Asian/Asian British: Indian 1,5670.09%6,1980.34%9,8810.52%
Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 6680.04%1,0910.06%1,5960.08%
Asian/Asian British: Bangladeshi 2520.01%5400.03%710 0.04%
Asian/Asian British: Chinese 4,1450.25%6,3030.35%9,4950.50%
Asian/Asian British: Filipino[a] 2,053 0.11% 4,451 0.23%
Asian/Asian British: Other Asian 1940.01%2,6710.15%4,534 0.24%
Black or Black British: Total 1,1360.07%3,6160.20% 11,032 0.58%
Black or Black British: Caribbean 2550.02%3720.02%
Black or Black British: African 4940.03%2,3450.13% 8,069 0.42%
Black or Black British: Other 3870.02%8990.05% 2,963 0.16%
Mixed: Total 3,3190.20%6,0140.33% 14,382 0.76%
Other: Any other ethnic group:Total 1,2900.08%2,353

0.13%

5,385 0.29%
Other: Arab[b] 274 0.02% 1,817 0.10%
Other: Any other ethnic group 3,568 0.19%
Total 100%1,685,267100%1,810,863100% 1,903,179 100%
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Languages spoken

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English is by far the most commonly spoken language in Northern Ireland. Two regional languages of Northern Ireland, Irish and Ulster Scots, are protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Several other languages are spoken by immigrants to Northern Ireland, the most common of which is Polish.

A question about knowledge of Irish was reintroduced to the census in 1991, for the first time since 1911. In 2011, the census question was modified to ask about Ulster Scots alongside Irish.[49]

Main language of all usual residents aged 3 and over

More information Main language, Usual residents aged 3+ ...
Main language 2011[50] 2021[51]
Usual residents aged 3+Proportion Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion
English1,681,17196.86% 1,751,510 95.37%
Polish17,7311.02% 20,134 1.10%
Lithuanian6,2500.36% 8,978 0.49%
Irish4,1640.24% 5,969 0.32%
Portuguese2,2930.13% 4,982 0.27%
Slovak2,2570.13% 2,333 0.13%
Chinese2,2140.13% 3,329 0.18%
Tagalog/Filipino1,8950.11% 1,339 0.07%
Latvian1,2730.07% 1,700 0.09%
Russian1,1910.07% 1,605 0.09%
Hungarian1,0080.06% 2,172 0.12%
Other13,0900.75% 28,293 1.5%
Total 1,836,616 100%
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Ability in Irish of all usual residents aged 3 and over in the Census[52][53]

More information Ability in Irish, Usual residents aged 3+ ...
Ability in Irish 2001[54] 2011[55] 2021[51]
Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion
Understands spoken Irish, but cannot speak, read, or write36,4792.25%70,5014.06% 90,801 4.94%
Can speak but cannot read or write Irish24,5361.52%24,6771.43% 37,497 2.04%
Can speak and read but cannot write Irish7,1830.44%7,4140.43% 9,683 0.53%
Can speak, read, write, and understand Irish75,1254.64%64,8473.74% 71,872 3.91%
Other combination of skills24,1671.49%17,4591.01% 18,764 1.02%
Has some knowledge of Irish167,49010.35%184,89810.65% 228,617 12.45%
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Ability in Ulster Scots of all usual residents aged 3 and over in the Census[56]

More information Ability in Ulster Scots, Usual residents aged 3+ ...
Ability in Ulster Scots 2011[57] 2021[51]
Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion Usual residents aged 3+ Proportion
Understands spoken Ulster Scots, but cannot speak, read, or write92,0405.30% 115,088 6.27%
Can speak but cannot read or write Ulster Scots10,2650.59% 26,570 1.45%
Can speak and read but cannot write Ulster Scots7,8010.45% 12,297 0.67%
Can speak, read, write, and understand Ulster Scots16,3730.94% 20,930 1.14%
Other combination of skills13,7250.79% 15,728 0.86%
Has some knowledge of Ulster Scots140,2048.08%                    190,613 10.38%
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Education

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Northern Ireland has a highly educated and literate population, particularly among the younger generations.

The following shows the educational attainment, shown by highest qualification received, at different ages for adults, in the 2021 census[58]

The census defines the levels as follows:

  • Level 1: 1 to 4 GCSEs, O levels, CSEs (any grades); 1 AS Level; NVQ level 1; or equivalent
  • Level 2: 5 or more GCSEs (A*-C or 9–4), O levels (passes) CSEs (grade 1); 1 A level, 2-3 AS Levels; NVQ level 2, BTEC General, City and Guilds Craft; or equivalent
  • Level 3: 2 or more A Levels, 4 or more AS Levels; NVQ Level 3, BTEC National, OND, ONC, City and Guilds Advanced Craft; or equivalent
  • Level 4: Degree (BA, BSc), foundation degree, NVQ Level 4 and above, HND, HNC, professional qualifications (teaching or nursing, for example), or equivalent
  • Other: Other qualifications, equivalent unknown

Younger adults, aged 18–30, are the highest ever qualified group. Just under 50% of that age group who have reached university graduation age (around 23 years old) have achieved a Level 4 or above qualification. This is about 10% higher than those aged 30–40. The number of those without qualifications is the lowest in 18-30 group.

There is a large gender gap with 10% more females than males receiving Level 4 or above qualification. About 55% of women in their 20s have achieved Level 4.

The number of young adults with no qualifications is less than 8%, compared to an overall 23.8%. There has been a decrease in the number of people with apprenticeships from about 20% of males over 70 to only 5% for 20-30 year olds.

More information Level 4, Level 3 ...
Overall educational attainment
Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1ApprenticeshipOtherNo Qualifications
Female35.0%15.7%15.0%6.0%1.7%2.7%23.9%
Male29.1%16.2%12.2%5.8%11.3%1.7%23.7%
All residents NI32.1%16.0%13.6%5.9%6.4%2.2%23.8%
All residents England and Wales[59]34.7%17.3%12.3%9.6%5.4%2.8%17.9%
20-30 year olds NI41.7%29.4%12.2%3.7%3.3%1.2%8.5%
20-30 year olds England/Wales40.1%28.4%11.7%6.9%4.4%1.5%7.0%
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Compared to the UK regions in England and Wales, Northern Ireland has one of the highest percentages of those with a Level 4 qualification, with only London and southern England regions higher. However it also has the highest proportion of people with no qualifications. This is not entirely due to higher numbers of older people without qualifications. Even among the younger, more qualified, NI residents, Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of people with no qualifications.[59]

Past censuses

Questions about the highest academic qualification received has been asked since the 1991 census. The categorization of results has changed since 1991, but each prior census can be mapped to 2021 categories.

Apprenticeships were not tracked as separate categories in 1991 or 2001 and it is not certain whether they were counted as "No Qualifications". About 10% of those over 50 reported holding an apprenticeship in 2021. Currently apprenticeships have a large academic component, and are separated into "Intermediate", "Advanced," and "Higher" apprenticeships, and so are included as academic qualifications.[60]

Mapping the past results to the 2021 categories shows that the number of people with no qualifications has dropped considerably in each census, whereas the number of people with degrees or equivalent is nearly 4 times larger than in 1991.

More information Level 4, Level 3 ...
Educational attainment in past censuses
Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1ApprenticeshipOtherNo Qualifications
1991[61]8.2%7.2%16.2%3.5%--65.0%
2001[62]15.8%9.0%16.4%17.2%--41.6%
2011[63]23.7%12.3%14.9%11.5%4.2%4.3%29.2%
2021[58]32.1%16.0%13.6%5.9%6.4%2.2%23.8%
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Religion

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Perspective

For the first century that Northern Ireland existed, the majority or plurality of its population identified with Protestantism, and with its founding, the region was intended to have a permanent Protestant majority.[67] With the 2021 census, Catholics outnumbered Protestants for the first time.

Northern Ireland is geographically polarized by religion. Catholics are concentrated in the west and border areas, and recently in Belfast. Protestants are concentrated in the east, in an east–west band across northern Armagh to northern Down, and north–south from the Antrim coast to north of Belfast. Belfast was once a majority Protestant city but became a Catholic plurality city between the 2001 and 2011 censuses.

The following table shows the religion stated by respondents to the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses.

More information Religion stated, Number ...
Religious affiliation in Northern Ireland
Religion stated 2001[68] 2011[69] 2021[70]
Number % Number % Number %
Roman Catholic678,46240.2738,03340.8 805,151 42.3
Presbyterian Church in Ireland348,74220.7345,10119.1 316,103 16.6
Church of Ireland257,78815.3248,82113.7 219,788 11.5
Methodist Church in Ireland59,1733.554,2533.0 44,728 2.4
Other Christian102,2216.1104,3805.8 130,377 6.9
(Total non-Roman Catholic Christian)767,92445.6752,55541.6 710,996 37.3
(Total Christian)1,446,38685.81,490,58882.3 1,516,147 79.6
Other religion5,0280.314,8590.8 25,519 1.3
No religion183,16410.1 330,983 17.4
Religion not stated122,2526.8 30,529 1.6
(No religion and Religion not stated)233,85313.9305,41616.9 361,512 19.0
Total population1,685,267100.01,810,863100.0 1,903,175 100.0
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The religious affiliations in the districts of Northern Ireland at the time of the 2011 census were as follows. Note that these boundaries changed in 2015.

More information District, Catholic ...
District 2001[71] 2011[72] 2021[73]
CatholicProtestant and other ChristianOther or noneCatholicProtestant and other ChristianOther or none Catholic Protestant and other Christian No religion/not stated Other
Antrim35.2%47.2%17.6%37.5%43.2%19.2% 38.1% 39.0% 21.6% 1.3%
Ards10.4%68.7%20.9%10.9%65.4%23.6% 10.9% 58.8% 29.2% 1.1%
Armagh45.4%45.5%9.1%44.8%43.0%12.2% 46.4% 41.1% 11.7% 0.9%
Ballymena19.0%67.8%13.3%20.4%63.3%16.3% 21.3% 58.4% 19.5% 0.7%
Ballymoney29.5%59.1%11.3%29.6%56.7%13.6% 30.0% 53.8% 15.5% 0.6%
Banbridge28.6%58.7%12.7%29.4%55.3%15.3% 31.0% 49.4% 18.6% 0.9%
Belfast42.1%40.3%17.5%41.9%34.1%24.0% 42.5% 29.7% 24.5% 3.3%
Carrickfergus6.5%70.4%23.1%7.6%67.2%25.2% 7.6% 59.5% 31.8% 1.2%
Castlereagh15.8%64.9%19.3%19.5%57.3%23.2% 21.8% 48.4% 28.2% 1.7%
Coleraine24.1%60.5%15.4%25.0%56.8%18.2% 25.3% 52.5% 21.2% 1.0%
Cookstown55.2%38.0%6.8%55.1%34.0%11.0% 58.2% 31.8% 9.6% 0.4%
Craigavon41.7%46.7%11.6%42.1%42.1%15.8% 43.4% 37.7% 17.5% 1.4%
Derry70.9%20.8%8.4%67.4%19.4%13.1% 70.3% 18.0% 10.6% 1.0%
Down57.1%29.2%13.7%57.5%27.1%15.4% 58.4% 24.8% 16.2% 0.6%
Dungannon57.3%34.9%7.7%58.7%29.8%11.5% 62.6% 26.9% 9.9% 0.7%
Fermanagh55.5%36.1%8.4%54.9%34.3%10.8% 55.8% 32.1% 11.2% 0.9%
Larne22.2%61.9%15.9%21.8%59.7%18.5% 21.3% 54.7% 23.3% 0.7%
Limavady53.1%36.1%10.7%56.0%34.3%9.7% 57.5% 31.7% 10.5% 0.3%
Lisburn30.1%53.6%16.4%32.8%47.9%19.3% 35.2% 41.8% 21.6% 1.4%
Magherafelt61.5%32.0%6.5%62.4%28.3%9.3% 65.0% 26.2% 8.1% 0.7%
Moyle56.6%33.8%9.6%54.4%32.3%13.3% 54.3% 32.1% 13.1% 0.5%
Newry and Mourne75.9%16.4%7.7%72.1%15.2%12.7% 75.1% 14.9% 9.3% 0.7%
Newtownabbey17.1%64.5%18.4%19.9%57.8%22.3% 22.1% 51.0% 25.6% 1.4%
North Down10.0%64.5%25.5%11.2%60.3%28.5% 11.6% 52.2% 34.9% 1.4%
Omagh65.1%26.3%8.6%65.4%24.8%9.8% 67.7% 22.9% 8.8% 0.7%
Strabane63.1%30.9%6.0%60.1%30.7%9.2% 63.0% 29.5% 7.0% 0.5%
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"Religion" vs "religion or religion Raised In" (religious background)

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Religion and Religion Raised in by age

The census included two questions related to religion: "what religion, religious denomination or body do you belong to?" and "what religion, religious denomination or body were you brought up in?"

This produced two sets of results, where the "current religion" is in all cases less than the "religion brought up in"

The difference between the two measurements is higher for Protestants than for Catholics, and is higher among younger people.

Geographically, using Religion instead of Religious Background does not change the areas where Catholic outnumber Protestants, or vice versa, but results in some regions where a majority turns into a plurality.

National identity

Summarize
Perspective

In Northern Ireland national identity is complex. Many in Northern Ireland have a British national identity and view the English, Scots and Welsh as fellow members of their common nation while regarding people from the Republic of Ireland as foreigners. Many others in Northern Ireland view people from the Republic of Ireland as being members of their common nation encompassing the island of Ireland and regard the English, Scots and Welsh as foreigners. Co-existing with this dichotomy is a Northern Irish identity, which can be held alone or, as is also the case with Englishness, Scottishness and Welshness, alongside a British identity, or alongside an Irish identity. A small number of people see themselves as being both British and Irish.

In the 2021 census respondents gave their national identity as follows.

More information National identity, Respondents ...
2021 Census [77]
National identity Respondents
British only
606,264(31.86%)
Irish only
554,415(29.13%)
Northern Irish only
376,444(19.78%)
British and Northern Irish
151,328(7.95%)
Irish and Northern Irish
33,580(1.76%)
Other British, Irish, and/or Northern Irish
39,817(2.09%)
English, Scottish, or Welsh
40,697(2.14%)
Other
100,624(5.29%)
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National identity and religion

National Identity by Religions breaks down as follows.[78] All tables, maps, and graphs in this section use "Religion or Religion brought up in" from the census.

More information Catholic, Protestant ...
CatholicProtestantOtherNo ReligionAll Residents
British only6.6%57.8%29.3%35.5%31.9%
British and Northern Irish only0.8%15.4%3.9%9.0%8.0%
Irish only60.0%2.0%8.8%7.6%29.1%
Irish and Northern Irish only3.1%0.4%1.0%1.5%1.8%
Northern Irish only20.9%17.7%9.9%25.6%19.8%
British and Irish only0.7%0.5%1.1%0.6%0.6%
British, Irish and Northern Irish only0.9%1.9%1.5%2.3%1.5%
Other7.0%4.4%44.7%18.0%7.4%
British only plus British and Northern Irish only7.4%73.1%33.2%44.5%39.9%
Irish only plus Irish and Northern Irish only63.1%2.4%9.7%9.0%30.9%
Other combinations of British, Irish and Northern Irish1.6%2.4%2.6%2.9%2.1%
Any choice that includes British9.0%75.5%35.8%47.4%42.0%
Any choice that includes Irish64.7%4.8%12.3%11.9%33.0%
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Thumb
Areas where less than 50% Catholics identify as Irish (green) and less than 50% Protestants identify as British (red)

Although there is a strong correlation between religion and national identity, Catholics tending to identify as Irish and Protestants tending to identify as British, this is not an absolute relationship, and the correlation is weaker amongst Catholics than it is amongst Protestants. Amongst Catholics, geography also plays an important role, with Catholics in heavily Protestant parts of Northern Ireland being more likely to call themselves British and less likely to call themselves Irish than Catholics in more Catholic areas of Northern Ireland. The reverse is true for Protestants, but to a lesser extent. However, the actual numbers are low for both those Protestants identifying as Irish and Catholics identifying as British, since it happens in areas where the respective religion is proportionally low.

In the 2021 census, Protestants outnumbered Catholics in 37 DEAs, down from 44 in 2011, while those considering themselves British outnumbered those who considered themselves Irish in 45 DEAs, down from 58 in 2011.

The majority of areas being British, despite the majority of areas being Catholic, is partly because Catholics were more likely to see themselves as British than Protestants were to see themselves as Irish (however this changed significantly between 2011 and 2021 - 9% vs. 4.8% respectively – in 2011 it was 13% vs 4% respectively), but is also partly because those of no religion were more likely to see themselves as British as see themselves as Irish. The non-religious tend to live in Protestant areas, suggesting that they are mostly of Protestant descent. In 2021, 47% of those professing no religion considered themselves British, while 12% considered themselves Irish. Members of the immigrant population, which includes many Poles, are also more likely to consider themselves Catholic.

Northern Irish identity was slightly more likely amongst Catholics than amongst Protestants, and it varied little according to geography.

Changes from 2011 to 2021

The following metrics account for over 90% of the population in both 2011 and 2021. National Identity showed a large shift from British to Irish of 10% between 2011 and 2021.

More information Change ...
20112021Change
British Only39.9%31.9%-8.0%
British And Northern Irish6.2%8.0%+1.8%
Irish Only25.3%29.1%+3.9%
Irish And Northern Irish1.1%1.8%+0.7%
Northern Irish Only20.9%19.8%-1.1%
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All DEAs showed an increase in Irish National Identity relative to British, with the lowest increase (3%) in the Court DEA, and the largest increase (22%) in the Castlereagh South DEA. Generally the largest increases were in the east, in and around Belfast.

Between 2011 and 2021, Catholics seeing themselves as British fell from 13% to 9%, while Protestants seeing themselves as Irish increased from 4% to 4.8%.

The shift from British to Irish can be seen from the plot comparing the age groups from the 2011 census with the same age cohort in the 2021 census. There was a swing towards Irish across all age cohorts, but it was 12-13% among younger adults (under 35 in 2021), approximately 2-6% among 35-64 (in 2021) year olds, and a much smaller 0.8% in the oldest age cohort.

Passports held

Summarize
Perspective

People born in Northern Ireland have automatic British citizenship on the same basis and with the same provisions as those born elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Despite the Irish Government's withdrawal of its constitutional claim to Northern Ireland in 1999, those born in Northern Ireland are entitled to Irish citizenship, should they so choose. Because of this entitlement most people in Northern Ireland are able to get both a British passport and an Irish Passport. Through an agreement between the Irish Government and Post Office Ltd, post offices in Northern Ireland provide a service where customers can apply for an Irish passport, alongside their service where customers can apply for a British passport.

Significantly more Irish passports (+11.4%) and fewer British passports (-6.5%) were held in 2021 compared to 2011. Catholics in particular gave up their British passports (-10.9%) and now hold Irish passports (+16.7%), but there was also a small drop in the percentage of Protestants with British passports (-0.4%) and large increase in Protestants with Irish passports (+6.5%). Similarly "Other" and "No religion" British passport holders fell by 8.3% and 4.9% respectively, and Irish passport holder increased by 5.6% and 6.9% respectively.

In the 2021 census, respondents stated that they held the following passports,[86] compared to 2011.[87][88]

More information Passport, All usual residents ...
Passport All usual residents Religion or religion brought up in
CatholicProtestant and other ChristianOther ReligionsNone
2021Change2021Change2021Change2021Change2021Change
No passport15.9%-3.0%15.1%-4.1%16.0%-2.5%12.5%-6.0%19.6%-0.6%
EU/EEA Countries83.0%+0.9%84.3%+1.9%83.5%+1.1%64.8%-4.5%77.6%-0.8%
United Kingdom52.6%-6.5%27.5%-10.9%77.4%-0.4%47.7%-8.3%60.3%-4.9%
Ireland32.3%+11.4%57.2%+16.7%10.6%+6.5%15.6%+5.6%14.1%+6.9%
Poland1.3%+0.3%2.4%0.4%0.1%0.0%0.7%+0.1%0.9%0.0%
Lithuania0.6%+0.2%1.0%+0.3%0.1%+0.1%0.4%+0.2%1.2%+0.4%
Other EU/EEA1.9%+1.1%1.5%+0.6%1.3%+0.9%5.5%+3.1%5.7%+1.5%
Other1.1%-0.1%0.5%-0.4%0.6%-0.1%22.7%-3.3%2.8%-0.7%
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The following table shows the number of passport applications from within Northern Ireland since the 2021 census. 2024 numbers are up to 26 August 2024, and are not yet available broken down into first time or renewals.

In 2022, 34.8% of Irish passport applications were first time applications. In 2023 this rose to 38.2% of applications.

More information Year, First time applications Online ...
Irish passport applications from Northern Ireland
YearFirst time applications OnlineRenewals OnlinePostal ApplicationsTotal
2021[89]56,700
2022[90]32,71961,42316,730110,872
2023[91]33,84954,85814,897103,604
2024[92]117,998
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Age

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Population pyramid from 1971 to projections to 2050

According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Authority the average (median) age increased from 34 years to 37 years between the 2001 and 2011 censuses. Over the same period, the share of the population represented by children aged under 16 years fell from 24 per cent to 21 per cent, while the proportion of people aged 65 years and over rose from 13 per cent to 15 per cent.[93]

Vital statistics since 1900

Summarize
Perspective
More information Live births, Deaths ...
Average population [94][95][96][97] Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Total fertility rate
1901 30,782 23,954 6,828
1902 30,707 23,171 7,536
1903 31,290 23,096 8,194
1904 31,550 23,536 8,014
1905 31,405 22,949 8,456
1906 31,389 23,039 8,350
1907 30,969 23,754 7,215
1908 30,600 23,133 7,467
1909 30,640 22,275 8,365
1910 1,246,000 30,219 22,576 7,643 24.3 18.1 6.1
1911 1,249,000 30,407 21,326 9,081 24.3 17.1 7.3
1912 1,248,000 30,301 21,698 8,603 24.3 17.4 6.9
1913 1,243,000 29,880 22,510 7,370 24.0 18.1 5.9
1914 1,242,000 29,704 21,671 8,033 23.9 17.4 6.5
1915 1,210,000 28,082 22,438 5,644 23.2 18.5 4.7
1916 1,205,000 26,623 20,764 5,859 22.1 17.2 4.9
1917 1,208,000 24,949 21,011 3,938 20.7 17.4 3.3
1918 1,214,000 26,212 25,013 1,199 21.6 20.6 1.0
1919 1,250,000 27,496 22,836 4,660 22.0 18.2 3.8
1920 1,258,000 32,521 21,017 11,504 25.8 16.7 9.1
1921 1,264,000 29,710 19,301 10,409 23.7 15.4 8.3
1922 1,269,000 29,531 19,795 9,736 23.2 15.6 7.6
1923 1,259,000 30,097 18,790 11,307 23.9 14.9 9.1
1924 1,258,000 28,496 20,299 8,197 22.7 16.1 6.5
1925 1,257,000 27,686 19,784 7,902 22.0 15.8 6.3
1926 1,254,000 28,162 18,827 9,335 22.5 15.1 7.4
1927 1,250,000 26,676 18,216 8,460 21.4 14.6 6.8
1928 1,247,000 25,963 18,004 7,959 20.9 14.4 6.4
1929 1,240,000 25,410 19,822 5,588 20.5 16.0 4.4
1930 1,237,000 25,879 17,148 8,731 20.9 13.9 7.0
1931 1,243,000 25,673 18,049 7,624 20.7 14.5 6.2
1932 1,251,000 25,107 17,812 7,295 20.1 14.2 5.8
1933 1,258,000 24,601 18,154 6,447 19.6 14.5 5.1
1934 1,265,000 25,365 17,521 7,844 20.1 13.9 6.2
1935 1,271,000 24,742 18,592 6,150 19.5 14.6 4.8
1936 1,276,000 25,909 18,429 7,480 20.3 14.4 5.9
1937 1,281,000 25,412 19,282 6,130 19.8 15.1 4.8
1938 1,286,000 25,742 17,649 8,093 20.0 13.7 6.3
1939 1,295,000 25,240 17,542 7,698 19.5 13.5 5.9
1940 1,299,000 25,363 18,941 6,422 19.5 14.6 4.9
1941 1,308,000 26,887 20,034 6,853 20.6 15.3 5.2
1942 1,329,000 29,645 17,570 12,075 22.3 13.2 9.1
1943 1,341,000 31,521 17,720 13,801 23.5 13.2 10.3
1944 1,357,000 30,900 16,980 13,920 22.8 12.5 10.3
1945 1,359,000 29,007 16,432 12,575 21.3 12.1 9.3
1946 1,350,000 30,134 16,706 13,428 22.3 12.4 9.9
1947 1,350,000 31,254 16,944 14,310 23.2 12.6 10.6
1948 1,362,000 29,532 15,145 14,387 21.7 11.1 10.6
1949 1,371,000 29,106 15,670 13,436 21.2 11.4 9.8
1950 1,377,000 28,794 15,839 12,955 20.9 11.5 9.4
1951 1,373,000 28,477 17,628 10,849 20.7 12.8 7.9
1952 1,375,000 28,760 14,812 13,948 20.9 10.8 10.1
1953 1,384,000 28,984 14,813 14,171 20.9 10.7 10.2
1954 1,387,000 28,803 15,124 13,679 20.8 10.9 9.9
1955 1,394,000 28,965 15,407 13,558 20.8 11.1 9.7
1956 1,397,000 29,489 14,858 14,631 21.1 10.6 10.5
1957 1,399,000 30,108 15,187 14,921 21.5 10.9 10.7
1958 1,402,000 30,301 15,132 15,169 21.6 10.8 10.8
1959 1,408,000 30,809 15,403 15,406 21.9 10.9 10.9
1960 1,420,000 31,989 15,296 16,693 22.5 10.8 11.8
1961 1,427,000 31,915 16,108 15,807 22.4 11.3 11.1
1962 1,435,000 32,565 15,226 17,339 22.7 10.6 12.1
1963 1,446,000 33,414 15,899 17,515 23.1 11.0 12.1
1964 1,458,000 34,345 15,354 18,991 23.6 10.5 13.0
1965 1,469,000 33,890 15,551 18,339 23.1 10.6 12.5
1966 1,478,000 33,228 16,441 16,787 22.5 11.1 11.4
1967 1,491,000 33,415 14,671 18,744 22.4 9.8 12.6
1968 1,502,000 33,173 15,933 17,240 22.1 10.6 11.5
1969 1,513,000 32,428 16,338 16,090 21.4 10.8 10.6
1970 1,525,000 32,086 16,551 15,535 21.0 10.9 10.2
1971 1,540,000 31,765 16,202 15,563 20.6 10.5 10.1
1972 1,539,000 29,994 17,032 12,962 19.5 11.1 8.4
1973 1,530,000 29,200 17,669 11,531 19.1 11.5 7.5
1974 1,527,000 27,160 17,327 9,833 17.8 11.3 6.4
1975 1,524,000 26,130 16,511 9,619 17.2 10.8 6.4
1976 1,524,000 26,361 17,030 9,331 17.3 11.2 6.1
1977 1,523,000 25,437 16,921 8,516 16.7 11.1 5.6
1978 1,523,000 26,239 16,153 10,086 17.2 10.6 6.6
1979 1,528,000 28,178 16,811 11,367 18.4 11.0 7.4
1980 1,533,000 28,582 16,835 11,747 18.6 11.0 7.7
1981 1,543,000 27,166 16,256 10,910 17.6 10.5 7.1 2.79
1982 1,545,000 26,872 15,918 10,954 17.4 10.3 7.1 2.59
1983 1,551,000 27,026 16,039 10,987 17.4 10.3 7.1 2.53
1984 1,557,000 27,477 15,692 11,785 17.6 10.1 7.5 2.51
1985 1,565,000 27,427 15,955 11,472 17.5 10.2 7.3 2.50
1986 1,574,000 27,975 16,065 11,910 17.8 10.2 7.6 2.45
1987 1,582,000 27,653 15,334 12,319 17.5 9.7 7.8 2.44
1988 1,585,000 27,514 15,813 11,701 17.4 10.0 7.4 2.39
1989 1,590,000 25,831 15,844 9,987 16.2 10.0 6.2 2.35
1990 1,596,000 26,251 15,426 10,825 16.5 9.7 6.8 2.19
1991 1,607,000 26,028 15,096 10,932 16.2 9.4 6.9 2.21
1992 1,623,000 25,354 14,988 10,366 15.6 9.2 6.4 2.16
1993 1,636,000 24,722 15,633 9,089 15.1 9.6 5.5 2.08
1994 1,644,000 24,098 15,114 8,984 14.7 9.2 5.5 2.01
1995 1,649,000 23,693 15,310 8,383 14.4 9.3 5.1 1.95
1996 1,662,000 24,382 15,218 9,164 14.7 9.2 5.5 1.91
1997 1,671,000 24,087 14,971 9,116 14.4 9.0 5.4 1.95
1998 1,678,000 23,668 14,993 8,675 14.1 8.9 5.2 1.93
1999 1,679,000 22,957 15,663 7,294 13.7 9.3 4.3 1.90
2000 1,683,000 21,512 14,903 6,609 12.8 8.9 3.9 1.86
2001 1,689,000 21,962 14,513 7,449 13.0 8.6 4.4 1.75
2002 1,697,000 21,385 14,586 6,799 12.6 8.6 4.0 1.81
2003 1,703,000 21,648 14,462 7,186 12.7 8.5 4.2 1.76
2004 1,710,000 22,318 14,354 7,964 13.0 8.4 4.7 1.79
2005 1,724,000 22,328 14,224 8,104 12.9 8.2 4.7 1.84
2006 1,742,000 23,272 14,532 8,740 13.4 8.3 5.0 1.84
2007 1,759,000 24,451 14,649 9,802 13.9 8.3 5.6 1.90
2008 1,775,000 25,631 14,907 10,724 14.4 8.4 6.0 1.98
2009 1,789,000 24,910 14,413 10,497 13.9 8.1 5.8 2.05
2010 1,799,000 25,315 14,457 10,858 14.1 8.0 6.1 2.02
2011 1,809,000 25,273 14,204 11,069 14.0 7.8 6.2 2.02
2012 1,820,000 25,269 14,756 10,513 14.0 8.1 5.9 2.03
2013 1,830,000 24,277 14,968 9,309 13.3 8.2 5.1 1.95
2014 1,840,000 24,394 14,678 9,716 13.3 8.0 5.3 1.96
2015 1,851,000 24,215 15,553 8,662 13.1 8.4 4.7 1.94
2016 1,862,000 24,076 15,430 8,646 12.9 8.3 4.6 1.93
2017 1,871,000 23,075 16,036 7,039 12.3 8.6 3.7 1.85
2018 1,882,000 22,829 15,923 6,906 12.1 8.5 3.6 1.83
2019 1,893,700 22,447 15,758 6,689 11.9 8.3 3.6 1.80
2020 1,896,000 20,815 17,614 3,201 11.0 9.3 1.7 1.68
2021 1,903,175 22,071 17,558 4,513 11.6 9.2 2.4 1.79
2022 1,910,500 20,837 17,159 3,678 10.9 9.0 1.9 1.71
2023 1,920,400 19,962 17,254 2,708 10.4 9.0 1.4 1.64
2024 1,927,000 19,419 18,050 1,369 10.1 9.4 0.7
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Current vital statistics

[98][99]

More information Period, Live births ...
Period Live births Deaths Natural increase
January 2024 2,002 1,805 +197
January 2025 1,958 1,918 +40
Difference Decrease -44 (-2.20%) Negative increase +113 (+6.26%) Decrease -157
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See also

Notes

  1. New category for the 2021 census
  2. Categorised within 'Other Asian' in the 2011 census

References

Further reading

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