Bermuda’s demographic crisis continues

The decline in numbers has been attributed to another drop in the birthrate, which fell to a record low in 2022.

According to the Department of Statistics, the population at the end of 2022 stood at 63,542, down by 106 from 2021.

The population has now declined for five consecutive years and is at its lowest since 2003, when it stood at 63,525.

The number of deaths has exceeded births for the fifth consecutive year. There were 479 births in 2022 — another record low — compared with 585 deaths.

Birthrates have been in fairly constant decline in the past ten years, while the number of deaths has steadily increased each year. In 2013, there were 648 births against 471 deaths.

Of the 479 births on the island in 2022, only seven were to mothers under the age of 20. The vast majority — 412, or 86 per cent — were to mothers between the ages of 20 and 39, while a further 60 babies were born to mothers aged 40 or older.

Women still outnumber men on the island. According to the estimates, the population is made up of 33,021 women and 30,521 men. The number of girls born in 2022 outpaced boys marginally by 241 against 238.

The figures also show that life expectancy continues on an upward trajectory, with babies born in 2022 expected to have a life expectancy of 83. Baby girls can expect to live for 85.9 years, while boys can expect to reach 83.

The Department of Statistics report did not provide a breakdown of causes of death for 2022, but stated that in 2021, cancer represented the largest share of the total at 23 per cent, aside from causes of death categorised as other.

Excluding other causes of deaths, male deaths were most likely to be caused by circulatory diseases, whereas female deaths were most commonly due to cancer.

Last year the Government described the island’s declining population as “a demographic crisis”, compounded by the fact that it was also ageing.

Jason Hayward, the Minister of the Economy and Labour, later announced plans to increase the island’s working population by more than 8,400 within five years.

An earlier position paper produced by the Government stated: “Current statistics show that demographics are working against Bermuda in terms of total population and demographic profile.

“Even more concerning is the strong correlation between economic growth and the structure of the labour force. The anticipated decline in Bermuda’s labour force will directly impact Bermuda’s growth domestic product growth over the coming years. One of the biggest contributors to the contraction in the labour force is Bermuda’s ageing population.

“Older residents are now becoming an expanding portion of the population at a rapid rate. It is predicted that Bermuda’s current working population will be unable to support the local economy in years to come.”