TW
0

Palma.—A report on human population in the Islands commissioned by the Balearic Statistics' Institute (Ibestat) revealed yesterday that the headcount in the Islands on 10th August last year stood at 1'890'426 in contrast to its lowest point during the 15-year period which was 743'835 on 18th December 2007..

Ibestat, which reports to the Balearic government's Economy and Business promotion department, said that the statistical trends for the region during the 15 year period clearly show a pattern of the highest number of people being present on the Islands during August, and the lowest headcount registering over the months of December and January.

Easter tide
Also remarkable, said a spokesman for Ibestat yesterday, is the way the population of the Balearic Islands has year after year sustained a sudden upturn at Easter. The research analysed how headcount varies from island to island but the survey confirmed that each of the Balearic Islands had their highest population over this 15 year period registered last year.

Demographic variations, said the Institute, run parallel to expatriate and immigration trends but have become increasingly complicated since the onset of economic recession. The spokesman said that there are those who came to the Balearics to live prior to the onset of the crisis both for pleasure and to seek jobs but high rates of unemployment and currency weakness has meant that the influx of people has slowed significantly. Similarly, patterns of economic globalisation are attracting people to live and work elsewhere.