Argyll islands hit by highest depopulation
Argyll’s islands have seen the highest depopulation in Scotland over the last 20 years, a new report has found.
There has been a drop in the number of under 25-year-olds, and a rise in those over 45, with more than half of the island populations now aged 45 and over.
The Scottish Government paper, Population growth and decline on Scotland’s islands – 2001 to 2020, has forecast population reductions for all of Scotland’s island local authorities over the next 20 years.
The study by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), which ‘provides impartial, factual, accurate information and analysis’ to MSPs, found the Argyll and Bute isles had the largest population decrease. ‘Overall, island populations have increased at around a third of the rate of the whole Scottish population.
‘The population estimates show that in 2020 there were 2,800 more people living on Scotland’s islands than in 2001, a 2.6 per cent increase over the period.
‘However, at the same time, Scotland’s population as a whole grew at the significantly faster rate of 7.9 per cent. Much of this mainland growth took place in the central belt, as well as in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Highland Council areas.
‘Most of the growth in Scotland’s island population since 2001 took place in the Orkney, Highland and Shetland Islands council areas.
‘Island communities in Argyll and Bute and in North Ayrshire, on the other hand, saw significant reductions in their populations.
‘The population of Na h-Eileanan an Iar – the most populated islands-only local authority – is more or less the same as it was in 2001.’
A chart showed that almost all island datazones in Argyll and Bute saw reductions in population over the past 20 years, with the Isle of Bute seeing the most dramatic reduction.
The data indicated the islands of Mull, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Gigha, Luing, Jura, Islay, North Uist, South Uist, Barra and Benbecula had all fallen in population, while Lismore had increased.
‘On the other hand, almost all island datazones in the Highland Council area – mainly areas on Skye – saw increases in population. The most striking increases since the turn of the century have been in the east and west mainland areas of Orkney, and in the Broadbay and Point areas of Lewis in Na h-Eileanan Siar.
‘The proportion of people aged 65 and over on Scotland’s islands rose from 18 per cent in 2001 to 26 per cent in 2020, whilst the proportion of the island population under the age of 25 fell from 28 per cent to 24 per cent.
‘People living longer is no bad thing; however, ageing populations can put pressures on certain public services, whilst the long-term sustainability of communities may be at risk if there’s a shortage of young families, young adults and children.
‘Many of Scotland’s islands are projected to see significant decreases in the numbers of children and working-age people living on them.’
It cites the example of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, which could see a 20 per cent decline in the working-age population and a similar level of decline in the proportion of children over the next 20 years.