Honiara’s population fastest at 5.8% per year, Temotu lowest

Honiara has recorded the fastest annual growth rate of population at 5.8% per year to put its population now at 130, 178 and increase of 78% from the last census.

In the provisional data released this morning by the Census Office, it shows that during the 2009-2019 and across the provinces, Honiara recorded the fastest annual growth of 5.8% with an increase of 57, 033 people since 2009, or 5,700 people per year. This is followed by Guadalcanal, driven by an annual growth of 3.7% with an increase of 48, 127 people since 2009 or 4, 800 people annually. The province with slowest annual population growth is Temotu (0.4) where growth continues to slow down even from 1999-2009.

On the other hand, national population growth has slowed down from 3% (1999-2009) to 2.7% (2009-2019) reflecting changes in the annual growths of provincial populations. The Census Office says during these inter-censual periods, the majority of provinces recorded lower annual growth rates except for Honiara, Rennell-Bellona, and Western Province.

In terms of population density, Honiara is the most highly concentrated area recording the highest population density of 5,950 people per square kilometer compared to all other provinces. This is close to twice the size of recorded in 2009 and close to three times the size recorded in 1999. Rennell and Bellona records the lowest density of persons per square kilometer.

Here’s population by province

Malaita: 173, 347

Guadalcanal: 154, 150

Honiara: 130, 176

Western: 94, 209

Makira/Ulawa: 52, 006

Choiseul: 30, 619

Isabel: 30, 399

Central: 30, 329

Temotu: 22, 132

Renbel: 4,091

News@SBMOnline2020