TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s population shrank for the 27th consecutive month, while births rebounded in March from February’s record low, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Household registration data showed a total population of 23,270,568 in March, down 104,174 from a year earlier, per CNA. Compared with February, the population decreased by 9,705.
Among municipalities, Taoyuan recorded the highest growth rate at 0.47%, followed by Hsinchu County at 0.14% and Taichung at 0.11%. The largest declines were in Kinmen County at 2.10%, Taipei City at 1.51%, and Chiayi County at 1.19%.
After February’s historically low 6,523 births, March’s figures drew close attention. There were 8,798 births in March, equivalent to an annual crude birth rate of 4.45 per 1,000 people, down 590 year-on-year but up 2,275 from February.
Penghu County recorded the highest crude birth rate at 6.41 per 1,000, followed by Taitung County at 6.17 and Changhua County at 5.52. The lowest rates were in Keelung City at 2.29, Lienchiang County at 2.59, and Chiayi County at 3.24.
There were 18,607 deaths in March, equivalent to a crude death rate of 9.41 per 1,000 people. This marked a decrease of 26 from a year earlier but an increase of 3,726 from February.
In terms of migration, 105,997 people moved into Taiwan in March, an increase of 49,881 from February. Meanwhile, 105,893 people moved out, up 49,363 from the previous month, for a net increase of 104.
The natural increase, calculated as births minus deaths, was negative 9,809 in March. After including net migration, the overall population still declined by 9,705 from the previous month.
There were 9,756 marriages in March, including 9,447 opposite-sex and 309 same-sex couples, for a crude marriage rate of 4.94 per 1,000. There were 4,765 divorces, including 4,678 opposite-sex and 87 same-sex, for a crude divorce rate of 2.41 per 1,000.
According to the World Health Organization, a population with 7% aged 65+ is considered an aging society, 14% is an aged society, and 20% is a super-aged society. Last year, Taiwan became a super-aged society.
As of the end of March, those aged 0–14 accounted for 11.43% of the population, while those aged 15–64 made up 68.28%. People aged 65 and older comprised 20.29% of the total.
