A census of the Falkland Islands is carried out every 5 years. Sunday 10 October 2021 marked the 25th census conducted in the Islands, since the first census carried out by a resident Governor in 1842.

The census provides a snapshot in time of the people living in the Islands, building a picture of the social and cultural life of people living in a remote but thriving community.

Key findings from the 2021 census

Population change

The usually resident population is estimated to be 3,662 people - an increase of 586 people, or 8%, since the last census in 2016. The population in the capital Stanley has grown by 340 people, whereas the Camp population fell by 44 people, returning to 2012 levels. 

The number of people counted in the Islands on the night of the census was 3,336 and of those, 194 were non-resident visitors. It's estimated that 520 usually resident people were away from the Islands on census night; over half of whom are permanent residents of the Islands.

 Age and sex composition

There were 1,645 males and 1,497 females counted on census night; giving a ratio of 110 males for 100 females.  The average age of the population is 40 years (39 in Stanley and 48 in Camp), and the number of people aged 65 years has increased by 8% per cent compared to 2016.

The total dependency ratio (the ratio of young and old to the working-age population) is 38%; this is an indicator of how much support the economically active population must provide for the services needed by children and older people. Lower ratios indicate a lower burden, and the Falkland Islands figure compares favourably with the UK, for example, where the ratio is 57%.

 Diversity and national identity

Almost 70% of the population identifies as Falkland Islanders, British, or a combination of both. The diversity of national identities almost doubled compared to 2016, with 86 different nationalities counted, and more people identify as being a Falkland Islander in addition to their cultural background.

People from 68 different countries have chosen to make the Falkland Islands their home; almost half of those not born in the Islands are from the UK, followed by St. Helena (19%), the Philippines (9%) and Chile (9%).

60% of the population are Falkland Islanders and a further 10% are permanent residents; Work Permit holders and their dependents make up 28% of the population.

 Employment and income

Amongst 15-64 year olds, the labour force participation rate is 95%, which is amongst the highest in the world, compared to International Labour Organization (ILO) data. The reported average annual income for working-age people in employment was £29,400 (£30,600 in Stanley, £25,600 in Camp). The per capita average income for all individuals aged 16 years and over (working and non-working) is £26,700 (£27,300 in Stanley, £23,500 in Camp).

The average annual household income in 2021 was reported to be £53,100 (£56,800 in Stanley, £47,000 in Camp); 22% higher than in 2016, in absolute terms.

 Health and lifestyle characteristics

85% of the population rated their health as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. For the first time in a Falkland Islands census, people were asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10; 99% of residents provided a response and the average rating was 7.9. People living in Camp had higher life satisfaction on average, with those living in West Falkland reporting the highest satisfaction overall with an average score of 8.3.

Compared to 2016, smoking rates fell slightly to 17% of the population, with the largest decrease found in young people aged 16 to 24 years. 58% of adults stated they consumed alcohol; a 7 per cent decrease on 2016 figures and the largest decrease in consumption was again in 16 to 24 year olds.

 Accessing 2021 census data and reports

Thematic reports presenting the 2021 census data will be published at regular intervals - these reports will focus on specific aspects of the data, which represent areas of interest to the Islands, the community and the economy.

The first thematic report, due to be published shortly, focuses on population changes in the Islands, the historical perspective, and the demographic make-up of the people living here.

The preliminary data tables are available to download here: 2021 Census - Preliminary Data Tables

 All census releases will be publicised on the radio, print and social media, and will be available on this website. Hard copies of the reports can be requested as they are released. 

Check back on this page for further updates and data releases - for more information, or if you would like to request specific data analyses, please contact us on 28421 or 28422 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.