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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Anna McAree

Census 2021 figures show the number of people identifying as Irish in Derry and Strabane rises

The Northern Ireland Census results were released today, 100 years since the establishment of Northern Ireland.

Nationally, the number of people identifying as Catholics make up the majority of the population, standing at 46% while those identifying as Protestant stands at 43%.

National identity sees 32% of the population identify as British only, 29% identify as Irish only and 20% as Northern Irish only.

Read more: Sadness as Altnagelvin Garden Centre in Derry goes up for sale

The results have been broken down into local government districts.

So what do this morning's results say about the makeup of the population of Derry City and Strabane?

The population of Derry City and Strabane was 150,756 at the time of the 2021 Census, which made it the 5th largest area. This is an increase of 2.1% since the 2011 Census.

In age bands, the biggest difference was seen in the 15-39 age group and the 65+ age group. 15-39 years saw a 4% drop since 2011, from 35% to 31%. 0-14 years decreased from 21% to 20%, 40-64 years increased from 32% to 33% and 65+ years rose from 12% to 16%.

Household sizes remained small, with houses containing one person taking the largest percentage at 31%, up from 28% in 2011. Households containing two people remained the same at 28%.

Households with three people increased to 18%, up from 17% in 2011. Households with four people decreased to 13% from 15% in 2011. Households with five or more people decreased to 9% from 12% in 2011.

The number of people holding a UK passport only dropped to 29% from 37% in 2011. The number holding an Irish passport rose to 48% from 38% in 2011. The number of those holding both rose to 3% from 1% in 2011.

Meanwhile, 2% hold a different passport, while those retaining no passport fell to 17%, down from 21% in 2011.

The percentage of people who identify as British only fell to 17% from 22% in 2011, while the percentage of those identifying as Irish only rose to 54% from 48% in 2011. The percentage of those identifying as Northern Irish only fell to 18% from 22% in 2011.

The percentage of Catholics within the city and district rose to 68%, up from 65% in 2011. The percentage of Protestants declined to 21%, down from 23% in 2011. Other religions stood at 1% and those identifying with no religion stood at 10%.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said that the census figures demonstrate a "total transformation" of our society.

He said: "This is a seminal moment in the history of modern Ireland. The census figures published today reveal that, by any measure, the constitution of the North has been transformed utterly 100 years on from partition. That is a moment of true change because it reflects a sustained period of lasting change."

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