Taiwan’s latest census indicates that the usual resident population stood at 23.12 million in 2010, inching up 0.4 percent from 2000, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Sept. 18.
“Females, at 50.3 percent of the population, outnumbered males, at 49.7 percent, for the first time,” the DGBAS said. “This can be attributed to a larger foreign resident population and the fact that more Taiwan males reside permanently abroad than females.”
The census also showed that the index of aging soared from 40.4 percent in 2000 to 68.2 percent in 2010. “For every person aged 65 or older, there are 1.5 youths,” the DGBAS noted, adding that the aged dependency ratio has also increased.
“In 1956, one elderly person depended on 21.4 people in the labor force, but in 2010, it was 6.9 persons, indicating that the burden on the working population is increasing.”
The data also revealed that people are getting married significantly later. A total of 73.4 percent of 25-29 year-olds were unmarried in 2010, compared to 57.7 percent in 2000, while 41.1 percent of those in the 30-44 age group were unmarried, up from 27.8 percent.
With regard to housing, in 2010 the average floor area per residence was 119.7 square meters, an increase of 1 square meter from 2000. Houses with an area of 60 to 120 square meters accounted for 47.1 percent, followed by dwellings between 120 and 180 square meters at 23.6 percent. Residences over 180 square meters or less than 60 square meters made up 15.8 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively.
The census, conducted through face-to-face interviews between Dec. 26, 2010, and Jan. 22, 2011, was the sixth since the ROC government first began collecting population information in 1956, the DGBAS said, adding that the census is conducted every 10 years. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw