Macao's population grew by 2 percent year-on-year in 2008 to 549,200, according to the figures released on Wednesday by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) of the Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Compared with the figures of third quarter last year, the total population recorded at the end of 2008 dropped by 8,100, due to a substantial decrease of non-resident workers in the fourth quarter, according to the DSEC figures.

As regards local gender ratio, 50.9 percent were female and 49. 1 percent were male, the DSEC said.

In terms of age distribution, local youth population (aged 0-14) accounted for 12.8 percent, and the adult population (aged 15-64) and the elderly population (aged 65 and over) respectively shared 80 percent and 7.2 percent, according to the DSEC figures.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2009)