Mauritius Faces a Demographic Crisis

Recent statistics from Statistics Mauritius reveal concerning trends for the island nation in 2024, as Mauritius grapples with a significant demographic crisis characterized by a declining population, alarmingly low birth rates, and a decrease in marriages.

As of July 1, 2024, Mauritius had a population of 1.2 million, reflecting a decrease of 1,532 individuals compared to the previous year.

This decline is indicating a negligible growth rate of less than 0.12%.

Between mid-2023 and mid-2024, Mauritius lost a total of 1,848 residents, while Rodrigues, a nearby island, experienced a population increase of 0.70%.

In the first half of 2024, the natural population growth was just 55 people, resulting from 6,268 live births and 6,213 deaths. Additionally, women outnumbered men by 15,575 at mid-2024.

Significant Drop in Birth Rates

Forecasts for 2024 suggest a continued decline in live births, with an expected total of 12,290 births, translating to a crude birth rate of 9.8 per 1,000 inhabitants—down from 10.2 in 2023.

In the first half of 2024, approximately 6,268 births were recorded, a decrease from 6,508 in the same period the previous year.

For the entirety of 2024, projections indicate around 11,500 live births in Mauritius and 790 in Rodrigues.

Rising Death Rates

The increase in deaths is equally alarming. The projected death toll for 2024 is 12,780, corresponding to a crude death rate of 10.1 per 1,000 individuals, up from 9.4 in 2023.

The first half of 2024 already recorded 6,213 deaths, a rise from 5,738 in the same period in 2023.

The predictions for 2024 include approximately 12,400 deaths in Mauritius and 380 in Rodrigues.

Infant deaths are expected to reach 175, resulting in an infant mortality rate of 14.2 per 1,000 live births, again higher than the 13.1 recorded in 2023.

Decline in Marriage Rates

Marriage statistics present further challenges. For 2024, the anticipated number of marriages stands at 7,880, equating to a marriage rate of 12.5 per 1,000 residents, a drop from 13.7 in the previous year.

In the first half of 2024, the number of marriages fell by 8.7%, totaling 4,101. Future projections suggest 7,700 marriages for Mauritius and 180 for Rodrigues in 2024.

In 2023, the birth and death rates varied significantly across countries. In the Seychelles, the gross birth rate was 13%, while Mauritius recorded a rate of 10%.

Countries such as Australia and France had gross birth rates of 11.6% and 10.7%, respectively. Regarding crude death rates, Mauritius had a 9.4% rate, whereas the Seychelles and Australia reported lower rates of 7.3% each.

Singapore, in stark contrast, had a remarkably low crude death rate of 6.6%.

The demographic trends highlighted by these statistics signal an urgent need for policy intervention in Mauritius to address the underlying issues contributing to these declines in population, births, and marriages.

Source: l’Express