STAT: St. Maarten’s female population is growing faster than its male population

GREAT BAY--Department of Statistics (STAT) has highlighted a striking demographic trend: St. Maarten’s female population is growing faster than its male population. This shift, evident in census data between 2011 and 2022, carries important implications for the island’s workforce, healthcare, education, and social development planning.

Since 1930, St. Maarten’s overall population has steadily increased, with the number of men and women remaining relatively balanced until the 1990s. Over the last decade, however, the number of women relative to men has consistently grown.

STAT emphasized that this development could have wide-ranging effects. A larger female population could reshape the workforce, increase the need for flexible work arrangements, expand investment in maternal health and childcare, and create greater opportunities for women in leadership and technical professions. At the same time, the trend underscores the importance of ensuring boys and young men are not left behind in education and employment opportunities, so balance and equity in development are maintained.

Officials caution that the policy response will depend on deeper analysis. For example, determining whether the increase is concentrated among women of childbearing age or among the elderly is critical, as each scenario presents different demands on government services.

To explain the value of reliable data in everyday life, STAT drew a simple analogy: “We know that if we leave home to get to work between the hours of 7:00 to 8:30am it is highly likely that we will encounter traffic compared to leaving home at 6:00am. Without this knowledge, traveling would be a constant guessing game. The same is true for planning at the national level: having a general sense of what will happen is important for future planning.”

This principle applies directly to national policy. “Statistics are not abstract figures; they are the difference between guesswork and effective planning,” STAT noted. “Reliable data shows us the direction of social change and gives policymakers the tools to prepare for it.”

The release of these findings comes ahead of World Statistics Day 2025, which will be observed globally on October 20 under the theme “Driving change with quality statistics and data for everyone.” In the weeks leading up to World Statistics Day, STAT will publish a series of articles and host activities to highlight what quality data means for St. Maarten, how it has been used in the past, and why it is essential for the future.

“St. Maarten’s shifting demographics highlight why quality data is essential,” STAT continued. “Whether it is preparing for changes in the labor force, strengthening healthcare systems, or crafting education policies, the future of St. Maarten depends on decisions rooted in evidence, not guesswork. Investing in data collection, analysis, and dissemination is not optional — it is mandatory.”

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