Northern Ireland has the UK's biggest proportion of under-16s in percentage terms, according to census figures today from the North's Statistics and Research Agency.
It is estimated that on Census Day, April 29th, 2001, the population of Northern Ireland was 1,685,267 people but mid-year estimates for June 30th, 2001, estimated the population to be about 1,689,000.
It is also believed the population has risen by almost 23 per cent since 1951.
The census figures also revealed that on April 29th 2001, there were more women than men living in the North - with 863,818 females to 821,449 males.
Northern Ireland had the greatest number of children under 16 in percentage terms than any other region of the United Kingdom, with 24 per cent compared to the national figure of 20 per cent.
Although it had fewer people of pensionable age than the British average, mid-year population estimates showed an increase of 7 per cent in the number of pensioners in the North between 1991 and 2001 from 246,000 to 262,000 people.
Northern Ireland accounted for 2.87 per cent of the total UK population.
According to mid year population estimates for June 30th 2001, Belfast remained the biggest local council area with 277,170 people. However, the population in the capital fell by 5 per cent.
Lisburn had the second highest number with 108,997 and Derry city council had 105,335. Moyle had the smallest population per council area with 15,961.
The population in all the local government areas except Belfast rose over the decade between the last census in 1991 and Census day 2001. Derry had proportionately more children than any other local government district, with 27 per cent of its population under 16.
Castlereagh had the highest proportion of pensioners with 19 per cent. Antrim had the largest proportion of people of working age at 63 per cent, compared to Moyle which had the lowest at 59 per cent.
Figures for the religious breakdown and other census questions were not released today but will be published later this year.
PA