POND ISLAND–St. Maarten is home to more women than men, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Statistics STAT in its Statistical Yearbook 2017.
The population total for 2017 as per January 1 stands at 40,535 of which 19,769 are men and 20,766 are women. This means the country has 997 more women residents than men. The population figures are compiled from both the population censuses and the population registry kept by the Civil Registry Department.
The number of baby girls born and the lower morality rate of women account for the higher number of women than men in the country.
The number of live births in 2016 was 458 (227 boys and 231 girls).
A total of 160 people died in 2016 – 108 men and 60 women.
The most recent population census was conducted by STAT in April 2011 and had a total count of 33,609 residents. Prior to that, the population census was carried out by the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Netherlands Antilles. Its count was 30,440 residents. This means the population had only grown by 3,169 people in a decade.
STAT’s Statistical Yearbook 2017 gives an estimate of the population numbers as per the beginning of the year during the Population Census years as well the years in between. These are based on annual mutation files (i.e., number of births, deaths, registered immigration and emigration).
One of the main reasons for discrepancies in the population numbers between the two sources is the continuous lagging of persons in the population registry who have actually emigrated from the country, but did not de-register from the system.
The population estimates for the period 2002-2010 have been re-calculated and revised by STAT. This was carried out since the 2011 Population Census showed that the estimates of the preceding years were too high. As a result, the number of residents for the period 2002-2010 was updated.
As of January 1, 2017, the majority of the population – 22,403 residents – is under age 40.
A total of 2,748 residents are age 0-4; 2,777 (age 5-9); 2,822 (age 10-14); 2,776 (age 15-19); 2,206 (age 20 to 24); 2,660 (age 25-29); 3,104 (age 30-34); 3,310 (age 35-39); 3,572 (age 40-44); 3,362 (age 45-49); 3,382 (age 50-54); 2,714 (age 55-59); 2,124 (age 60-64); 1,488 (age 65-69); 802 (age 70-74); 364 (age 75-79); 193 (age 80-84); and 132 (age 85 and older).
A total of 306 couples tied the knot in 2016 while 89 severed their marital bonds.
The majority of registered immigrants in 2016 came from the Netherlands – 309 persons. The Dominican Republic was next with 225 persons followed by Jamaica (132); the United States (128); Curaçao (83); Guyana (62); Haiti (57); China (56); Suriname (48); Bonaire/St. Eustatius/Saba (43); India (41); Aruba (26); Dominica (22); and Guadeloupe (six).
On the emigration side, 448 residents moved to the Netherlands, 97 to Curaçao, 47 to Bonaire/St. Eustatius/Saba, 41 to the United States, 38 Aruba, 14 India and one Guadeloupe.
STAT warned that emigration numbers “maybe underestimated due to under-registration of emigration.” Not all countries require a new resident to show proof that they have de-registered (commonly referred to as “writing out”) of their former country. “Writing out” of the local Civil Registry is required for anyone moving to the Netherlands.
The Statistical Yearbook 2017 is available free of charge in hard copy from the STAT Office in the Government Administration Building on Pond Island or online via
www.stat.gov.sx , click on the line in the “STAT Says” on the right side of the homepage.
Bron: Daily Herald