Singapore’s population grows more slowly, ages
dpaPublished: Sep 25, 2014 10:14 AM | Updated: Sep 25, 2014 10:16 AM
Singapore’s population grew at the slowest rate in a decade over the past year, a government report said today.
Singapore’s population grew at the slowest rate in a decade over the past year, a government report said today.
A total of 5.47 million people now live in Singapore, a rise of 1.3 percent between June 2013 and June 2014, according to the National Population and Talent Division’s (NPTD) latest Population in Brief report.
This slowdown mainly came from reduced numbers of foreign workers entering the country, with the non-resident population growth rate reduced to 2.9 percent, compared to 4 percent in the previous year.
“This was due to concrete steps taken to slow the growth of our foreign workforce to a more sustainable pace,” NPTD said in its release. “Going forward, businesses will face a tight labour market as we restructure the economy.”
The population of Singaporean citizens continues to age as marriage and birth rates have fallen.
The total fertility rate dropped from 1.29 in 2012 to 1.19 in 2013, well below the replacement rate of 2.1.
While there were 7.6 working adults for each citizen aged 65 years and above in 2004, the number has now decreased to 5.2 working adults for each senior citizen.
The country’s population and demographics has been a touchy issue for many citizens of Singapore, where foreign professionals and workers make up nearly 40 percent of the population.
In 2013, the government released a white paper on the population that predicted a potential population of 6.9 million by 2030. The white paper drew criticism, with thousands gathering to protest against the figure.
The government said that plans laid out in the white paper were crucial to Singapore’s economic growth, so as to tackle a shrinking and ageing population.
- dpa
A total of 5.47 million people now live in Singapore, a rise of 1.3 percent between June 2013 and June 2014, according to the National Population and Talent Division’s (NPTD) latest Population in Brief report.
This slowdown mainly came from reduced numbers of foreign workers entering the country, with the non-resident population growth rate reduced to 2.9 percent, compared to 4 percent in the previous year.
“This was due to concrete steps taken to slow the growth of our foreign workforce to a more sustainable pace,” NPTD said in its release. “Going forward, businesses will face a tight labour market as we restructure the economy.”
The population of Singaporean citizens continues to age as marriage and birth rates have fallen.
The total fertility rate dropped from 1.29 in 2012 to 1.19 in 2013, well below the replacement rate of 2.1.
While there were 7.6 working adults for each citizen aged 65 years and above in 2004, the number has now decreased to 5.2 working adults for each senior citizen.
The country’s population and demographics has been a touchy issue for many citizens of Singapore, where foreign professionals and workers make up nearly 40 percent of the population.
In 2013, the government released a white paper on the population that predicted a potential population of 6.9 million by 2030. The white paper drew criticism, with thousands gathering to protest against the figure.
The government said that plans laid out in the white paper were crucial to Singapore’s economic growth, so as to tackle a shrinking and ageing population.
- dpa
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