The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed.
The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said.
That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed.
More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net migration loss at 947, bringing the total population decline to 9,468, the data showed.
After declining for the 16th consecutive month, population stood at 23,365,274 as of the end of last month — down 49,826 from the same time last year, which is equivalent to an average daily decrease of 136 people.
Compared with April last year, Taoyuan reported the highest annual population growth rate at 1.02 percent, followed by Hsinchu County at 0.98 percent and Taichung at 0.55 percent, data showed.
The sharpest declines were recorded in the outlying counties of Lienchiang (Matsu, minus-2.05 percent) and Kinmen (minus-1.96 percent), as well as in Taipei (minus-1.74 percent), the data showed.
In terms of marriages, 6,520 couples tied the knot last month — including 167 same-sex marriages — while 4,334 couples divorced, of which 81 were the same sex, data showed.
The statistics are based on the household registration system and only include Taiwanese nationals with household registration, the ministry said.
People without household registration or foreign residents living in Taiwan are not counted in the official population figures, it added.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday inaugurated the Danjiang Bridge across the Tamsui River in New Taipei City, saying that the structure would be an architectural icon and traffic artery for Taiwan. Feted as a major engineering achievement, the Danjiang Bridge is 920m long, 211m tall at the top of its pylon, and is the longest single-pylon asymmetric cable-stayed bridge in the world, the government’s Web site for the structure said. It was designed by late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. The structure, with a maximum deck of 70m, accommodates road and light rail traffic, and affords a 200m navigation channel for boats,
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