1 The Population Equation

Population change depends on the balance between births and deaths and immigration and emigration.

The following images and notes offer very brief coverage of the contents of the Isle of Man Population Atlas. Click on images to enlarge.

Chapter 1: The Population Equation.

The Isle of Man suffered considerable depopulation in the 1950s. Economic decline and emigration resulted in a fall in the population from 54,024 in 1951 to 47,166 in 1961. Between 1961 and 2011 there was almost continuous population growth. The resident population recorded in 2011 was 84,497 (in 2001 it was 76,315)

Throughout most of the second half of the twentieth century births exceeded deaths in the Isle of Man but between the censuses of 2001 and 2011, there were 9,170 births and 8,096 deaths. Natural growth (births - deaths) amounted to 1,074 over ten years.

In 2009 and 2010 there were over 1,000 per year. In the five years since then the number of births has declined by a remarkable 23.3%. In 2015 the Isle of Man once again had more deaths than births.

Migration has a much larger impact on the population of the Isle of Man. Between 2001 and 2011 total immigration amounted to 17,806

Emigration can be calculated using the population equation.

The Population Equation: P2 = P1 + B - D + I - E

Where P2 = population in 2011 P1 = population in 2001 B = births D = deaths I = immigration E = emigration

84,497 (P2) = 76,315 (P1) + 9170 (B) - 8096 (D) + 17,806 (I) - emigration (E)

E = 10,698.

Between 2001 and 2011 emigration from the Isle of Man totalled 10,698.

Net migration is the balance between immigration and emigration. Between 2001 and 2011 there were 17,806 immigrants (I) and 10,698 emigrants (E). Net migration (I - E) was 7,108.

Gross migration is the term used for immigration totals plus emigration totals (I + E). Between 2001 and 2011, gross migration amounted to over 28,500. This is a very high level of movement in and out of the Isle of Man, which makes the balance of migration enormously important to the Island's economy and its communities.

The UK census of 2011 provided some additional information about emigration from the Isle of Man over the 12 months prior to the census. This suggests an even higher level of migration in 2010-11 than in previous years.