The table compares the number of people in four different age groups in 2011 and 2012, as well as the overall percentage change in population during this one-year period.
Overall, the total population experienced a slight increase, while the growth was uneven across age groups. The most significant rise was observed among those aged 65 and over, whereas the population of younger age groups showed a marginal decline.
Looking first at the total figures, the population rose modestly from around 4.38 million in 2011 to approximately 4.41 million in 2012, representing an overall increase of 0.6%. When examined by age group, the number of elderly people (aged 65 and above) grew considerably, climbing from 573,946 to 596,903 – a notable 4% rise. A smaller but still positive growth occurred in the 40-64 age group, which went up by 0.6%.
In contrast, the populations of those under 15 and between 15 and 39 years old both experienced slight decreases of 0.2%. Specifically, the number of people under 15 fell from 898,160 to 896,364, while the 15-39 age group declined marginally from 1.58 million to 1.57 million.
In summary, while the country’s population overall increased slightly between 2011 and 2012, this growth was primarily driven by the elderly, indicating an ageing demographic trend.