Growing NI Population Becoming Multi-Ethnic And Older

Northern Ireland is fast becoming a multi-ethnic society – and a much more crowded one too – as population levels reach a new high.

The arrival of more than 30,000 migrants last year, combined with a four-year increase in the birth rate, sparked a 1% rise in the population, the biggest jump in recent times – to 1.74 million people this year.

In fact, the population is expected to break 1.8 million by 2011, according to the latest annual report from the Registrar General, which also shows more babies being born and fewer people dying.

The report also shows that Northern Ireland's population continues to age, in spite of the slight increase in the birth rate in recent years as the number of children fell by 0.3% - caused by children reaching adulthood - while the number of pensioners increased by 1.6%.

While the number of immigrants in 2005-2006 was up, this was offset by 20,000 people leaving Northern Ireland, (including 1,000 post-Peace soldiers), but still leaving a net gain of almost 10,000.

Most migrants - one third of them, some 10,000 - came from England and Wales, but the number of Polish people coming to live here doubled to 5,500 in one year.

There was also an increase in immigrants from Lithuania, Slovakia, other new EU countries as well as India, the Phillipines and the USA.

The number of migrants from Scotland, the Republic and older EU countries fell slightly.

"Over the previous year the population of Northern Ireland increased by an estimated 17,000 persons to reach a total of almost 1.75 million," said Registrar General Norman Caven.

"This growth was due to both natural increase - more births than deaths - and also significant migration. Net in-migration was the highest recorded in recent times."

In local terms, Dungannon - where many of the immigrants have chosen to live - saw the biggest jump in population of any council area.

It grew at three times faster than the Northern Ireland average, followed by Craigavon, Cookstown and Newry & Mourne.

Derry City Council's region saw the biggest natural jump in population - 800 people.

Belfast is the only local government area to have a net loss of people over the past five years.

(BMcC)