Taiwan becomes a super-aged society

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Taiwan has officially become a "super-aged society" under United Nations criteria, with people aged 65 and older now accounting for more than 20 percent of the population, according to statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Friday.

As of the end of December, Taiwan's population aged 65 and older totaled 4,673,155, or 20.06 percent of the total population, the MOI said.

MOI data showed that Taiwan's total population stood at 23,299,132 at the end of December, down 101,088 from the same period in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of population decline.

Births remained low, with a total of 9,027 babies born in December, up 1,081 from November but 3,469 fewer than in December 2024. For the full year, Taiwan recorded 107,812 newborns, extending the decline in births to a 10th consecutive year since 2016, the MOI said.

Meanwhile, 200,268 deaths were reported in December, 1,839 fewer than in December 2024. The crude death rate for the month stood at 8.58 per 1,000 people, the MOI data showed.

Population figures showed that by the end of 2025, those aged 14 or younger totaled 2,681,890, or 11.51 percent of the population, while people aged 15 to 64 numbered 15,944,087, or 68.43 percent.

The United Nations defines a "super-aged society" as one in which people aged 65 and older make up at least 20 percent of the population. An "aged society" is defined as having 14 percent or more, while an "aging society" refers to 7 percent or more.

Among local governments, Taipei had the highest proportion of residents aged 65 and older, at 24.18 percent, while Hsinchu County had the lowest, at 15.08 percent, according to the MOI statistics.

Three of Taiwan's six special municipalities -- Taipei, Kaohsiung and Tainan -- reported elderly populations exceeding 20 percent, at 24.18 percent, 20.79 percent and 20.48 percent, respectively.

New Taipei's figure stood at 19.95 percent, while Taichung and Taoyuan recorded 17.4 percent and 16.72 percent, respectively.

Other counties and cities across Taiwan with elderly populations above 20 percent include Chiayi County (24.11 percent), Nantou County (22.66 percent), Keelung City (22.28 percent), Pingtung County (21.84 percent), Yunlin County (21.76 percent) and Hualien County (21.52 percent).

Also reporting elderly populations above 20 percent were Penghu County (21.03 percent), Taitung County (20.93 percent), Yilan County (20.77 percent), Changhua County (20.37 percent) and Miaoli County (20.23 percent).

Only five counties and cities recorded elderly populations below 20 percent: Chiayi City (19.9 percent), Kinmen County (19.69 percent), Lienchiang County (17.14 percent), Hsinchu City (16.16 percent) and Hsinchu County (15.08 percent), the data showed.

As for marriages, 104,376 couples tied the knot in 2025, down 18,685 from 2024. Meanwhile, 52,101 couples divorced in 2025, 1,368 fewer than a year earlier, the MOI statistics showed.