The number of babies born in the Isle of Man fell last year to the lowest level in 106 years.

There were just 574 births recorded in the island in 2024.

This was the lowest count since the last year of the Great War in 1918, the only year in the whole of the 20th Century with fewer births than 2024.

And last year a total of 925 deaths was recorded, the highest for 25 years.

It means the gap between the number of births and deaths increased again, extending the natural decline in the island’s population.

Paul Craine MLC, author of the Isle of Man Population Atlas, said the collapse in births has been ‘absolutely remarkable’ - and would bring considerable consequences for the island’s community and economy.

He said: ‘For over 100 years, the annual number of births in the Isle of Man stayed above 600.

‘When that dipped to 580 in 2022, the birth count was the lowest for 104 years. Last year the births were the lowest for 106 years.

‘These figures confirm some of the serious demographic challenges facing the Isle of Man including the extent of our population imbalance. Each year that sees a further decline in the number of births provides another shock.’

He said that the negative consequences will be considerable as there will be decades when there will be fewer working people to contribute to taxation and National Insurance.

Meanwhile the number of deaths has risen slightly.

The size of the current gap between the number of births and deaths is the highest natural decline in the island’s population history, since well back into the 19th Century and perhaps the highest ever, believes Mr Craine.

Last year there were 351 (61%) more deaths than births.

Mr Craine said there are multiple factors that have resulted in the ‘extraordinary’ decline in the island’s birth rate.

Many other countries are also experiencing decline, but he said he has yet to find evidence of a country with such a sharp and deep fall in births as the Isle of Man.

A standard geography textbook explanation for declining fertility in high income countries might include better economic opportunities for women, rising costs of bringing up children, increased housing costs, couples delaying children until they are in their 30s and slipping optimism about the future.

But Mr Craine said most of these do not appear to offer an adequate explanation of the very sudden drop-off in births after a sharp peak in 2010.

There are some ‘green shoots’, however. Latest estimates suggest that the island’s population is now at 84,523 the largest ever - although it’s only 26 more than it was in 2011. This is due to net inward migration.

Mr Craine is currently working on his second Isle of Man Population Atlas, which he expects to publish before the end of the year.

His current term as MLC is due to end in 2028 but he says he does not intend to stand again.