There are 56.749 persons living in Greenland (by January 1st 2012). This has been the size of the population +/- 1000 persons during the past 20 years. Through this period the population has grown slightly except from 2005 to 2009, where the population declined.
Summary table 1
Population by place of birth
|
|
1980 |
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
2005 |
2010 |
2012 |
|
Total |
49.647 |
52.791 |
55.403 |
55.732 |
56.110 |
56.972 |
56.452 |
56.749 |
|
Greenland |
40.959 |
43.602 |
46.151 |
48.412 |
49.358 |
50.275 |
50.226 |
50.340 |
|
Outside Greenland |
8.688 |
9.189 |
9.252 |
7.320 |
6.752 |
6.697 |
6.226 |
6.409 |
Source: Statistics Greenland http://bank.stat.gl/beest1
The size of the population and growth over time is explained by changes in the number of live birth, deaths, immigrants and emigrant. In figure 1 you can see the interaction between growth, birth surplus and net migration. Typically the birth surplus and net emigration contributes to a positive growth.
In figure 1 population growth, birth surplus and net emigrations is shown. Throughout the whole period there has been a stable birth surplus and volatile migrations.
Figure 1
Population growth, birth surplus and net emigrations. Total population
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beesat1
The birth surplus was extremely high in the early 1960s due to a very high fertility level. Within a few years the fertility level was halved, and the birth cohorts was equally halved. We talk of ‘the big cohorts’ from the 1960s. These cohorts were twice as big as cohorts 10 years prior and after. The age-distribution over the past 50 years has been heavily influenced by these cohorts, and are still very visual in a population pyramid. In 2012 the cohorts are between 42 and 52 years old – and in ten years they will be about to retire.
