TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's birthrate declined for the ninth-straight year in 2024, marking a rare instance of fewer “Dragon babies,” children born in the Year of the Dragon, than “Tiger babies."
Data from the Ministry of the Interior published Friday shows Taiwan's population last year was 23,400,220, decreasing by 20,222 people from 2023, averaging a daily loss of 55.25 people, per CNA. This marks a return to negative population growth after a brief growth spurt last year due to immigration.
The number of newborns in 2024 was 134,856, with a crude birth rate of 5.76 per 1,000 people. This is a decrease of 715 births from 135,571 newborns in 2023, marking the lowest number of newborns since the MOI began collecting statistics.
Taiwan's newborn numbers have been declining for nine straight years since 2016, with each year lower than the previous:
- 208,440 in 2016
- 193,844 in 2017
- 181,601 in 2018
- 177,767 in 2019
- 165,249 in 2020
- 153,820 in 2021
- 138,986 in 2022
- 135,571 in 2023
- 134,856 in 2024
Influenced by traditional Chinese cultural beliefs, there are usually many Dragon babies and few Tiger babies, as the former is considered auspicious while the latter is thought of as rebellious.
The MOI's statistics on newborns since 1958 show the last time the situation was reversed was in 1964, when the number of Dragon babies dropped to 410,000, below the 420,000 Tiger babies of 1962.
Taiwan's number of deaths in 2024 was 202,107, with a crude death rate of 8.63 per 1,000 people. This is a decrease of 3,261 from the 205,368 deaths in 2023.
By subtracting the number of deaths from the number of births, the natural increase can be calculated. Taiwan's natural increase in 2024 was -67,251 people.
Social increase is measured by the difference between immigration and emigration. Due to a higher rate of immigration than emigration last year, Taiwan saw a social increase of 47,029.
After combining the natural increase and social increase figures, the overall population decreased by 20,222 people.
Taiwan had 123,061 marriages in 2024, with a crude marriage rate of 5.26 per 1,000 people, 2,131 fewer marriages than in 2023. The number of divorces in 2024 was 53,469, with a crude divorce rate of 2.28 per 1,000 people.
Taiwan is less than a percentage point away from becoming a super-aged society, with people aged 65 and older surpassing 20%.