By-census shows an aging population

The detailed results of the 2016 population by-census show accelerated population growth, coupled with continuous population aging over the past five years.

According to data released on Saturday by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), the population of Macau totaled 650,834 in August 2016, up 17.8 percent from 552,503 in the 2011 Population Census. The bureau attributes these results to a surge in non-resident workers living in Macau and a rebound in birth rate.

The data indicates that the average annual growth rate of the local population between 2011 and 2016 reached 3.3 percent, the highest in 20 years. Local population, excluding non-resident workers and foreign students living in Macau, totaled 537,018, an increase of 10.7 percent compared to 2011.

The results also showed that the MSAR population continued to age. The elderly population aged 65 and above increased to 59,383, a substantial growth from 48.6 percent five years ago; this in turn accounted for 9.1 percent of the total population, up by 1.9 percentage points.

Moreover, the percentage share of elderly population to the youth population – namely, those under the age of 14 – rose by 15.6 percentage points to 76.3 percent. On the other hand, population aged between 55 and 64 took up 13.5 percent (87,583) of the total. The pace of population aging is expected to accelerate further in the next decade.

Macau’s female population was found to outnumber their male counterparts; the by-census recorded 336,816 females and 314,018 males, accounting for 51.8 percent and 48.2 percent of the total, respectively. For every 100 females, there are now 93.2 males. In terms of the local population – those born in Macau – the gender ratio dropped from 92.7 five years ago to 90.2.

The number of households totaled 188,723, an increase of 10.5 percent compared to five years ago. The average household size was 3.07 persons, a slight decrease from 3.08 in 2011. Analyzed by household size, three-person households accounted for 24.5 percent of the total households, up by 1.3 percentage points from five years earlier. On the other hand, the proportion of four-person households fell by 1.6 percentage points to 21.4 percent.

Households living in owner-occupied units (property belonging to members of the household) totaled 124,126, accounting for 66.2 percent of total households, down by 4.6 percentage points as compared with 2011.

According to DSEC, the proportion of tenant households rose by 1.3 percentage points from five years ago to 25.8 percent (48,481). The bureau attributes this to more people moving into social housing, as well as a recent surge of non-resident workers living in Macau.

People who completed tertiary education comprised 23.1 percent of the population aged 3 and above, up by 6.4 percentage points compared to five years ago. 50.7 percent of the population completed junior secondary education or lower, representing a drop of 6.5 percentage points.

The 2016 Population By-census was completed last August and the preliminary results were released at the end of 2016.

Age at first marriage rises

Unmarried persons accounted for 29.9 percent of the population aged 16 and above, an increase of 0.7 percentage points compared to five years ago. Married persons comprised 63.2 percent, down by 0.8 percentage points. The average age at first marriage rose continuously from 29 in 2011 to 29.5 in 2016. Other data indicates that households with motor vehicles (motorcycles or automobiles) rose by 13.1 percent from five years ago to 105,993. Households with multiple vehicles became more common; those owning three or more motor vehicles totaled 21,212, a substantial increase of 28.9 percent compared to five years ago. Meanwhile, households which owned only one motor vehicle totaled 49,824, up by 6.8 percent.

Increasing population density

The population density of Macau was 21,340 people per square kilometer, up by 15.5 percent from 18,478 five years ago. Areia Preta and Iao Hon remained the most densely populated districts, with 170,953 people per square kilometer, followed by Doca do Lamau with 146,857 people per square kilometer.

Areia Preta and Iao Hon remained the most populated statistical districts, accounting for 11.8% of the total population.

The population in Coloane Island surged by 530.9 percent from five years ago to 26,889, as more people moved into public housing units on the island. Meanwhile, the populations in Pac On, Taipa Grande and Universidade & Baia de Pac On soared by 126.7 percent and 99.2 percent, respectively.  This was due to an increase in the number of tertiary education students moving into dormitories.