Singapore's population growth slowed to 1.1% per year in the last decade: Census

SINGAPORE'S population growth over the last decade slowed to 1.1 per cent per year, less than half of the 2.5 per cent annual rate in the decade before that, the latest Census of Population showed.

In 2020, Singapore's total population was 5.69 million, up from 5.08 million a decade before, according to data released by the Department of Statistics on Wednesday.

Residents - that is, citizens and permanent residents - accounted for 4.04 million. There were 3.52 million citizens, forming about 62 per cent of the total population, compared to 3.23 million and 64 per cent a decade ago.

The permanent resident population was 521,000, down from 541,000 in 2010, while the non-resident population rose to 1.64 million, from 1.31 million previously.

In a media briefing, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah noted the need to supplement the resident population with some immigration, in order to support the economy and ensure that Singapore has the required skillsets, but added that "that has to be very carefully calibrated".

Recalling public concern back in 2013 over the speed of Singapore's population growth, she said the government has to ensure that "the growth is at a pace that is not uncomfortable", while also making sure that "we can continue to achieve the economic outcomes that we want".

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The census is conducted every 10 years, with the latest edition drawing upon registered data as well as a sample survey of 150,000 households, held from February till the end of 2020.

Some of the data in this census year will be affected by Covid-19, noted Ms Indranee. The non-resident population, for instance, fell 2.1 per cent from 2019 to 2020, amid the pandemic and accompanying economic slowdown.

But the broad trends over the decade are still represented, she added.

Wednesday's release included demographic data. The population continues to age, with the median age of residents rising to 41.5, from 37.4 in 2010.

Those aged 65 and older formed 15.2 per cent of the resident population in 2020, up from 9 per cent a decade ago. Those aged below 15, meanwhile, accounted for 14.5 per cent, down from 17.4 per cent before.

There has been a sharp jump in the old-age dependency ratio, representing the pressure on the working population to support the elderly. For every 100 residents aged 20 to 64, there were 23.4 residents aged 65 and older, up from 13.5 in 2010.

Marriage and reproduction remain on the wane. The proportion of singles rose among every age group - although, due to the ageing population and the smaller share of singles in older age groups, the proportion of singles in the total population fell slightly to 31.5 per cent, from 32.2 per cent before.

For ever-married female residents, the average number of children born to those aged 40 to 49 decreased to 1.76, down from 2.02 in 2010. For those with university education, the average was 1.66, compared to the average of 1.94 for those with secondary qualification.

Education qualifications continue to improve, with more than half of residents aged 25 or older now having post-secondary or higher qualifications - 58.3 per cent in 2020, up from 46.5 per cent in 2010.

The ethnic composition of both the resident and citizen populations remained largely unchanged, as did the breakdown of the resident population by place of birth.

In 2020, 76.6 per cent of residents were born in Singapore, down slightly from 77.2 per cent in 2010. The next largest group were those born in Malaysia, accounting for 11.4 per cent in 2020, up from 10.2 per cent in 2010.

Wednesday's report was the first of two statistical releases from the census, with the second to be released on Friday.