Official statistics have revealed that 5,625 children were born in the Maldives last year, while 1,399 people across various age groups passed away.

According to the “Quarterly Vital Statistics” report compiled jointly by the Ministry of Health and the National Bureau of Statistics, of the children born, 2,835 were boys and 2,789 were girls. The report also states that 28 Maldivians died abroad.

The elderly accounted for the largest share of deaths. During this period, 858 people aged 65 and above and 451 people between 18 and 64 years old passed away. Additionally, 14 children aged between 5 and 17, and 75 children under the age of 4 also died.

The declining birth rate year-on-year is a matter experts have flagged with concern. While in 1995 the average Maldivian woman gave birth to 6.4 children, by 2022 this figure had dropped to 1.7 — meaning the days of families with more than three children are a thing of the past.

Experts warn that as a result, over the next 30 years or so, the working-age population will shrink while the elderly population will grow — posing a major challenge to the national economy. The report identifies difficulties in accessing housing and rising divorce rates as key drivers behind this shift.