Date | Population |
|---|---|
| 2024 Q2 | 541,391 |
| 2024 Q1 | 540,552 |
| 2023 Q4 | 540,418 |
| 2023 Q3 | 538,605 |
| 2023 Q2 | 536,291 |
Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada's easternmost province on the Atlantic coast. Newfoundland and Labrador include the island of Newfoundland and the mainland Labrador to the northwest. Newfoundland includes more than 7000 other small islands. In the past, the population of the area had been steadily decreasing; since 2006, this has turned around, as the area is now growing at a rate of around 1.8%. The population in 2013 was 526,702 with an estimated count of 536,183 for 2014.
Newfoundland and Labrador have a combined population of 536,000, which makes it the 9th most populous province in Canada. The area of Newfoundland is an island vaguely triangular in shape, with an area of 108,860 square kilometers. 92% of the population of the province live on the island of Newfoundland, and more than 50% live on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, which is the site of the capital and largest city, St. John's. Overall, the province has a much lower population density of 1.4 people per square kilometer - compared to that of Canada as a whole of 3.7 people per square kilometer.
The area is productive, with a decent employment rate, along with an abundance of leisurely activities to be enjoyed. Newfoundland also boasts one of the lowest crime rates across Canada and America. The area is a great place to bring up children, as the educational facilities available are seen as high quality. The whole province, despite being the newest province in Canada, is rich in history and tradition. It is truly one of the best places in the world to live, work and study.
The largest city and capital of Newfoundland and Labrador is St. John's, located in Newfoundland. St. John's has a population of about 108,000, and it is considered one of the oldest English-founded cities in North America. The St. John's Metropolitan Area is the second largest CMA in Atlantic Canada after Halifax with a population of 202,000, which also makes it the 20th largest metro area in Canada. The urban area has a population density of 891 people per square kilometer, or 2,308 per square mile.
The second-largest city in the province is Conception Bay South, or CBS, with a population of 25,000. Other major towns and municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador:
Mount Pearl: 24,000
Corner Brook: 19,500 Paradise: 18,000 Grand Falls-Windsor: 14,000 Gander: 11,000 Happy Valley-Goose Bay: 7,500 Torbay: 7,500 Labrador City: 7,400Newfoundland’s people are 97.6% native English speakers. This is the highest density of native English speakers in Canada. Dialects of French and Irish specific to the region used to also be present, along with a now-forgotten language called Beothuk. Nearly 40% of the population consider themselves to be Roman Catholic, with the remaining majority of nearly 60% of the population citing denominations of the Protestant church. 2.5% claim no religion, with only 0.2% having a faith other than Christianity.
Newfoundland has the oldest median age in Canada of 44 in 2011 - and it’s getting older. The number of births is now lower than the number of deaths, which explains this trend. The area is also the most homogeneous in Canada, with the highest density of those people with a European background in the country. This is due to the early settlers from Europe and the low levels of immigration into the area since. In fact, a large proportion of the current residents of Newfoundland are the descendants of the first inhabitants from southwestern England and southeastern Ireland.
Despite the aging population, Newfoundland is a thriving business center. Today, its GDP has grown to $28.1 billion. This is high growth when you look back to a figure of $25.0 billion in 2009. The GDP of Newfoundland is now higher than Canada’s national average. However, this was not always the case; the economy of the area was largely depressed with very high unemployment and a decreasing population. This trend followed on from the collapse of the cod fishery in the early 90’s. The main industries in Newfoundland are of the service industry - most commonly financial and health care. Despite the cod fishery collapse, fishing remains an important source of income for the province. Tourism comes in as a close second.