The North's birth rate has dropped to its lowest level since records began, it was revealed yesterday. At the same time it has the youngest population of any region of the UK.
The latest statistics for 2002 show the average number of births per female was now 1.8, compared with 2.5 two decades years ago.
The details were contained in the annual overview of the local labour market issued by the Department of Employment and Learning.
Mr Terry Morahan, head of the department's research and evaluation branch, said: "It is recognised that for a stable population it should be 2.1 and Northern Ireland could eventually be joining other EU countries such as Germany, Italy and Spain in falling population levels, subject of course to what happens to migration."
During 1991-2001, Northern Ireland also had its lowest emigration loss to date at just 4,000.
Another record was broken in 2002 - for the first time the Northern Ireland unemployment level was almost the same as the UK average at just over 5 per cent. Now five of the UK's 12 regions have higher unemployment.
Employment is also at record levels, with the percentage of people working at an all-time high at 69 per cent.
However that is well below the UK average of 74 per cent.
Other key findings in the Labour Market Bulletin show:
Northern Ireland has the fastest improving regional economy in the UK;
Contrary to popular opinion, job growth between 1995-2001 in Belfast was below the Northern Ireland average of 14 per cent at 11 per cent, and
Trade union membership fell by 11 per cent from 1992 to 2000.