TAIPEI (TVBS News) — First, Taiwan's birth rate collapsed. Then its population began aging faster than nearly any society on Earth. Now, for the 29th consecutive month, the island is losing more people than it gains. Data released Wednesday (June 10) by the Ministry of the Interior (內政部) showed just 6,832 births in May — the second-lowest ever — against 15,158 deaths.
Here is how the numbers break down, and why they matter. Taiwan's total population stood at 23,252,641 as of the end of May, down 102,829 from the same month last year — an average daily loss of about 282 people, according to the ministry's household registration data.
The imbalance is stark. One newborn arrives roughly every 6.5 minutes; one person dies approximately every 2.9 minutes. The result was a natural population decrease of 8,326 people in a single month.
May's birth figure trailed only February 2026's 6,523. Year-on-year, births plunged 18.98% from 8,433 in May 2025. For the first five months of 2026, Taiwan recorded 39,020 births, down 15.9% from 46,407 in the same period last year. If the current pace continues, Taiwan could record fewer than 100,000 births for the full year, according to projections by United Daily News (聯合報) — a historic low.
The working-age population (those between 15 and 64) now comprises 68.20% of the total, while children under 15 account for just 11.37%. The shrinking base of young people and workers, combined with the expanding senior cohort, is intensifying pressure on Taiwan's labor force, social welfare systems, and long-term care infrastructure.
Household structures are also shifting. Taiwan now has 9,902,616 households — a record high — but the average household size has shrunk to just 2.35 people, down 0.03 from a year ago. The ministry attributed this to rising numbers of single-person households, smaller families, and seniors living alone.
Not all regions are shrinking equally. Compared to the same month last year, Lienchiang County (連江縣), which governs the Matsu Islands, posted the highest population growth rate at 0.33%. Taoyuan (桃園市) followed at 0.32%, with Hsinchu County (新竹縣) at 0.25%.
Hsinchu County also recorded the highest net migration in May, with 1,144 more people moving in than out—a trend the ministry attributed to the draw of the Hsinchu Science Park (竹科) and surrounding tech clusters. On the other end, Kinmen County (金門縣) saw the steepest decline at 1.51%, followed by Chiayi County (嘉義縣) and Taipei (台北市), both at 1.18%.
The demographic shift is already prompting calls for policy changes. On Wednesday, teachers' unions (教師工會) from 12 counties and cities issued a joint statement urging the Ministry of Education (教育部) to implement a "dual-track reform" — reducing class sizes at larger schools while increasing staffing at smaller ones.
The unions called for capping elementary and junior high school classes at 25 students, with a phased reduction toward 20, and gradually lowering senior high school class sizes to 30. Current standards — 29 students per elementary class and 30 per junior high class — have remained unchanged for more than a decade.
The sequence is now familiar: fewer births, more deaths, another month of decline. Taiwan has lived this pattern for 29 consecutive months. The teachers' unions are already adapting their demands to a shrinking student population. The question is whether policymakers can move as fast as the clock is running — or whether month 30, 40, and 50 are already written. ◼