The population in Taiwan shrank in 2022 for the third consecutive year, falling by 110,674 people from a year ago as the country saw both its lowest-ever number of births and highest-ever deaths, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Ministry of the Interior.

Taiwan’s population stood at 23,264,640 at the end of 2022, down by 110,674, or 0.47 percent, from a year ago, according to the data.

The country also saw both its lowest-ever number of annual births and highest number of annual deaths in 2022.

For the whole of 2022, the number of births hit a record low of 138,986, down by 14,834 from 2021’s total of 153,820.

The 2022 figure represents a crude birth rate of 5.96 births per 1,000 people, a decline from 6.55 in 2021 and the first time the rate has fallen below 6 in 47 years since the statistics were first compiled.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths in 2022 surged to a record high of 207,230, up by 23,498 from the previous year’s total of 183,732, remaining higher than births for the third consecutive year, according to the ministry.

The figure translates into a crude death rate of 8.89 deaths per 1,000 people, the highest in 46 years since death statistics were first compiled, and marks the first time the number of deaths has exceeded 200,000.

In December, Taiwan recorded 12,178 births, down by 1,949 from the same month in 2021, and down by 170 from the previous month, the data showed.

Meanwhile, 17,685 people died last month, an increase of 1,946 compared with the same month in 2021, but down by 34 from November, the data showed.

A total of 119,679 people received household registration in Taiwan last month, an increase of 38,685 compared with the same period in 2021 and up 30,001 from November, while 83,125 people left the country, resulting in a net immigration of 36,554 people.

For all of 2022, 1,086,712 people were newly added to household registration rolls in Taiwan, while 1,129,142 people left, resulting in 42,430 fewer people registered as new residents than people who departed Taiwan last year, according to the data.

However, marriages increased year-on-year in 2022 as 124,997 couples registered last year, which was the highest in three years, compared with 121,702 in 2020 and 114,606 in 2021.

Meanwhile, 50,609 couples got divorced in 2022, representing 2.17 divorces per 1,000 people, the data showed.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel