Population Growing Faster in Ireland

Northern Ireland's population has now exceeded 1.75 million and is growing faster than any other UK region - but is dwarfed by the rate of increase in the Irish Republic.

Official statistics just revealed today show that in mid 2007, the number of people living here had increased by 1.0% over the previous year. That's more than the rest of the UK where it increased by 0.6%.

In contrast, in the Republic of Ireland, population growth was even higher and increased by 2.5% - in the year to April 2007 - far exceeding any other part of the British Isles and more than double the growth of NI.

Last year there was also a marked increase in the number of babies born and marriages registered across the province.

These are some of the findings in the '2007 Annual Report of the Registrar General' published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

The report provides information on births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, adoptions and divorces registered in 2007.

Commenting on his Annual Report, the Registrar General, Dr Norman Caven, said: "The population of Northern Ireland continues to change.

"Last year the population rose above the 1.75 million threshold and there was a 5% increase in the number of babies born and marriages registered.

"Understanding trends in these significant life events is important to us all," he said.

The report relates that the Northern Ireland population was estimated at 30 June 2007 to be 1,759,100, an increase over the preceding 12 months of 17,500 people or 1.0%

Between mid-2006 and mid-2007, the UK population increased by 0.6% to nearly 61 million in mid-2007 and compared to the 1.0% increase in the Northern Ireland population, England grew by 0.6%, Scotland by 0.5% and Wales by 0.5%.

Between 2006 and 2007, Dungannon and Craigavon Local Government Districts had the greatest increases in the Northern Ireland statistics (3.8% and 2.4%).

These rates of increase are more than twice the Northern Ireland percentage increase (1.0%).

Meanwhile, the number of births registered in Northern Ireland last year was 24,451, a 5% increase on the 2006 figure of 23,272 births.

The figures also presented some interesting variations. Last year, just fewer than 40% of all births in Northern Ireland occurred outside marriage, however this varies from area to area.

In Belfast (56%) and Derry (51%) districts, over half of births were outside marriage, whereas, in Magherafelt (23%) and Omagh (23%) districts less than one-quarter of births were outside marriage.

(BMcC)