Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior announced on Monday that the island recorded 10,407 newborns in February, marking an increase of 912 compared to January. Despite the uptick in births, Taiwan’s overall population continued to decline, with the population reaching 23,384,614 as of February—a decrease of 11,435 people from the previous month. This marks the 14th consecutive month of population decline in the region.
Taoyuan led the nation with the highest population growth rate at 0.92%, followed closely by Hsinchu County at 0.91%, and Taichung at 0.52%. In contrast, Taipei saw the largest population decline, dropping by 1.18%, with Kinmen and Chiayi following at declines of 1.17% and 1.16%, respectively.
As of February, the population distribution by age was as follows: 2,733,872 individuals aged 0 to 14, accounting for 11.69% of the total population; 16,126,419 individuals aged 15 to 64, making up 68.96%; and 4,524,323 individuals aged 65 and above, representing 19.35% of the total population.
In terms of migration, February saw 123,992 people relocating to new cities or counties within Taiwan, an increase of 52,497 from January. Similarly, 123,946 people moved out, which was up by 53,803 compared to the previous month. Taichung recorded the highest number of relocations, with 2,640 people moving, followed by Taoyuan with 2,389 and New Taipei with 2,217.
The number of deaths in February rose sharply to 21,888, an increase of 6,870 from January. On average, a death occurred every 1.9 minutes throughout the month.
Looking ahead, the National Development Council predicts that Taiwan’s total population will fall below 23 million by 2030. By 2039, the proportion of those aged 65 and older is expected to exceed 30%. Taiwan faces significant demographic challenges, with declining birthrates and an aging population. Projections suggest that by 2070, the total population could shrink to around 14.97 million.
In 2024, Taiwan recorded 134,856 newborns, a decrease of 715 from 2023. The total population at the end of 2024 was 23,402,220, marking a decrease of 22,022 from the previous year, signaling a return to negative growth after a brief positive period in 2023.
Stay tuned to The Asia Review for further updates on this developing story.
