A new population report predicts that by 2062, foreigners will outnumber Maldivians in islands outside the capital, Male’.
The Maldives Population Projection 2022–2062 indicates that the number of Maldivians living in island areas will continue to decline due to migration toward Male’, while the foreign population in these areas will increase.
By 2062, Vaavu Atoll is expected to have the smallest Maldivian population, with two-thirds of residents being foreigners. In Addu City, the country’s largest city outside Male’, one in three residents is projected to be a foreigner. Overall, 59 percent of the country’s population is expected to live in the Greater Male’ area, up from 41 percent today. Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, and Addu City atolls are forecasted to be the most populous regions by 2062.
Two out of five residents will be foreigners.
By 2062, two out of every five people in Maldives are expected to be foreigners, increasing from the current share. The report estimates that the country’s total population will exceed 600,000, with 61 percent Maldivians and 39 percent foreigners.
The working population is already heavily dominated by foreign workers, and this trend is expected to intensify. The number of foreign men aged 25–29 in the workforce is projected to exceed the number of Maldivian men by 40,000—more than double the current difference of 17,000.
From 2052, Maldives will become a “super-aged” country
The report also warns of a rapidly aging population. By 2052, one in four Maldivians will be elderly, and by 2062, the elderly population is expected to exceed 120,000, most over the age of 80. This demographic shift will place significant pressure on the working-age population, which will increasingly rely on older citizens for support.
Preparing for an aging population
The report outlines key strategies for addressing the demographic changes:
- Develop affordable and sustainable health, pension, and support systems for the elderly.
- Invest in human capital and workforce development.
- Ensure equitable development and access to housing, infrastructure, and services across urban and island areas.
- Reduce dependence on foreign labor in policymaking and encourage greater local participation in the workforce.
