TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The population of Taiwan registered 23,212,056 as of October, growing for the fourth consecutive month, according to data released on Friday (Nov. 11) by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI).

October added 13,923 people from the previous month, but the total population was down by 201,823 on a yearly basis, or 0.86%. A total of 12,242 births and 17,099 deaths were recorded in the month, the report showed.

For the immigrant population, Taiwan saw an inflow of 75,571 people and an outflow of 56,791 in October. This represented an increase of 18,780 immigrants, mostly in Taipei, New Taipei, and Taichung.

Meanwhile, 10,013 couples tied the knot in October, among them 9,827 of different sexes and 186 of the same sex. A total of 4,071 divorces were recorded in the month, among them 4,019 of different sexes and 52 of the same sex.

Taiwan entered negative population growth in 2020, with the population continuing to decline in 2021 when the figures for deaths outnumbered births by 30,000. Taiwan is expected to topple South Korea as the country with the lowest birth rate by 2035, according to a forecast by the National Development Council.