MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands 2021 census preliminary figures: 2,887 people counted on Sunday night 10 October

The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) announced on Tuesday its preliminary population figures from the 2021 census. Work to error-check and validate the census data received is ongoing, however, provisional data on high-level results are now available.

In total, 1,650 census returns were received; 53% of which were completed online. Excluding those based at the Mount Pleasant Complex (MPC), 1,350 occupied households across the Islands were counted on census night; an increase of 14% compared to 2016.

Not including temporary visitors, 3,203 people were present in the Islands on census night. Excluding civilian contractors based at MPC, 2,887 people were counted; representing an approximate 2% increase compared to the 2016 census.

Work on the total usually resident population data for the Islands is continuing, however preliminary results indicate that approximately 10% of the usually resident population was absent or overseas on census night.

The census is a household survey, run every five years, which provides a snapshot of life in the Falkland Islands and is used to help the government make decisions on planning and funding public services, including education, healthcare, housing and infrastructure.

Full details of the 2021 census will be made available in the coming months on the Falkland Islands Government website: www.falklands.gov.fk/census 2021. Headline results will be published towards the end of March, followed by more detailed analytics based around key demographic and socio-economic themes.