By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS left the Family Islands in droves over the past decade, according to official data from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI), which presented the official 2022 census of the Bahamas population and housing.

The 2022 census also revealed that the population growth rate had slowed significantly over the past few decades, so while the total population is increasing, the percentage increase has steadily declined.

“The 2022 Census recorded the lowest growth rate in the past 52 years – 1.2 percent,” said BNSI Assistant Director Kim Saunders.

“New Providence accounted for 75 percent of the population, compared to 70 percent in 2010,” she added as she and BNSI Assistant Director Kimberly Rolle presented the data.

New Providence status as the most crowded island showed no signs of ending, with population density surging to 3,709.2 persons per square mile — a 20.5 percent increase since 2010.

Ms Rolle noted Bimini and the Berry Islands experienced similar increases in population density.

The national population density climbed from 65.3 persons per square mile in 2010 to 74.0 in 2022.

Grand Bahama and Abaco saw significant population declines over the past decade. Grand Bahama’s 2022 population was 46,740, a decrease of roughly 4,600 compared to 2010, while Abaco saw a drop from 17,224 to 16,695 in 2022.

While some Family Islands saw growth in their populations, Ms Saunders pointed out that “the other Family Islands accounted for nine percent of the total population in 2022, compared to 12.5 percent in 1990.”

Small Family Islands also faced population decreases, with Mayaguana leading the decline, losing 26.7 percent of its population, followed by Ragged Island with a 22.2 percent drop. Other significant declines appeared in Crooked Island, Inagua, Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, and Spanish Wells. Despite minor population growth in islands like Acklins and Eleuthera, the data shows the Family Islands’ share of the national population continues to shrink.

Last month, The Tribune reported that the Chief Councillor of Crooked Island, David Ferguson, spoke in detail about the issue of migration and population decline in the Family Islands. He particularly noted concerns that younger generations tend to leave for New Providence and rarely return, leading to shrinking populations and economic decline in their home islands.

“Every year, you can see the decline as people pass on, and the young ones move to Nassau. Whether they do good or bad, they tend not to look back at the end. We need to address that,” Mr Ferguson said when The Tribune spoke with him, calling on the government to address the matter.