Taiwan’s population totaled 23,337,936 at the end of last month, the 19th consecutive month of decline, government data published yesterday showed.
The figure was 8,805 lower than the previous month and 71,387 less than in the same period last year, the data from the Ministry of the Interior showed.
Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Taichung reported the highest population growth rates, while the heaviest population loss rates were reported in Kinmen and Lienchiang counties, and Taipei, the data showed.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Last month, 8,939 infants were born, 29 fewer than the previous month and 1,485 fewer than the same month last year, with a crude birthrate of 4.51 per 1,000, the data showed.
Taiwan reported 16,846 deaths in the month, 292 more than the previous month and 1,856 more than July last year, resulting in a crude death rate of 8.5 per 1,000, they showed.
A child was born every five minutes on average in the month, while there was a death every 2.6 minutes, the ministry said.
There have been 64,314 babies born so far this year as of the end of last month, down 9,984 from 74,298 in the same period last year, it said.
There were 9,495 babies born in January, 10,407 in February, 9,388 in March, 8,684 in April, 8,433 in May and 8,968 in June, the data showed.
Additional reporting by CNA
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