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Demographics of Nova Scotia facts for kids

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Nova Scotia (Latin for New Scotland; French: Nouvelle-Écosse; Scottish Gaelic: Alba Nuadh) is a Canadian province located on Canada's southeastern coast. It is the most populous province in the Atlantic Canada, and its capital, Halifax, is a major economic centre of the region. Nova Scotia is the second smallest province in Canada, with an area of 55,284 km². Its population of 921,727 makes it the fourth least populous province of the country.

Population

Nova Scotia is the seventh most populous province in Canada with an estimated 957,600 residents as of 2017. It accounts for 3 percent of the population of Canada. The population density is approximately 17.2 persons/km². Roughly 60% of the population live in rural parts of the province.

Regional municipalities

Nova Scotia has three regional municipalities.

Name Population
(2016)		 Population
(2011)		 Change
(%)		 Area
(km²)		 Population
density
Cape Breton &&&&&&&&&&094285.&&&&&094,285 &&&&&&&&&&097398.&&&&&097,398 &&&&&&&&&&&&&0-4.800000-3.2 &&&&&&&&&&&02430.&600002,430.06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.80000038.8
Halifax &&&&&&&&&0403131.&&&&&0403,131 &&&&&&&&&0390096.&&&&&0390,096 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.3000003.3 &&&&&&&&&&&05490.3500005,490.35 &&&&&&&&&&&&&073.40000073.4
Queens &&&&&&&&&&010307.&&&&&010,307 &&&&&&&&&&010917.&&&&&010,917 &&&&&&&&&&&&&0-6.400000-5.6 &&&&&&&&&&&02392.6300002,392.63 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.3000004.3
Total regional municipalities &&&&&&&&&0507723.&&&&&0507,723 &&&&&&&&&0498411.&&&&&0498,411 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01.0 &&&&&&&&&&010313.&4000010,313.04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&049.20000049.2

Towns

Main page: List of towns in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has 26 towns, not including the former Town of Canso that dissolved to become part of Guysborough County on July 1, 2012 and the former Towns of Bridgetown and Springhill which dissolved on April 1, 2015.

Population centres

Main page: List of population centres in Nova Scotia

The Halifax population centre is the largest urban area in Nova Scotia. Statistics Canada recognizes a total of 37 population centres in the province.

The below table is a list of those population centres in Nova Scotia from the 2021 Census of Population as designated, named, and delineated by Statistics Canada.

Population centres of Nova Scotia
Rank Population centre Size group Population (2021) Population (2016) Change Land area (km2) Population density
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 Halifax Large urban 348,634 317,334 &10000000000000009863424+9.9% &&&&&&&&&&&&0238.290000238.29 1,463.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 Cape Breton - Sydney Medium 30,960 30,170 &10000000000000002618495+2.6% &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.91000030.91 1,001.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 Truro Small 23,583 23,205 &10000000000000001628959+1.6% &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.52000031.52 748.2/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 New Glasgow Small 19,316 19,137 &10000000000000000935360+0.9% &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.82000029.82 647.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 Glace Bay Small 16,915 17,604 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.9% &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.19000031.19 542.3/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 Kentville Small 14,905 14,449 &10000000000000003155927+3.2% &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.98000027.98 532.7/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 Sydney Mines Small 12,353 12,823 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.7% &&&&&&&&&&&&&018.11000018.11 682.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 Amherst Small 9,548 9,550 0.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.38000012.38 771.2/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 Bridgewater Small 8,790 8,532 &10000000000000003023909+3.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.63000013.63 644.9/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 Yarmouth Small 7,848 7,527 &10000000000000004264647+4.3% &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.81000016.81 466.9/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 Kingston - Greenwood Small 7,118 6,879 &10000000000000003474342+3.5% &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.22000017.22 413.4/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 New Waterford Small 6,723 7,416 Template:Number table sorting/negative−9.3% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.2300009.23 728.4/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 Enfield - Lantz Small 6,583 6,807 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.3% &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.67000011.67 564.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 Antigonish Small 5,620 5,079 &10000000000000010651703+10.7% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.8800005.88 955.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 Windsor Small 5,514 5,248 &10000000000000005068597+5.1% &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.56000010.56 522.2/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 Wolfville Small 5,057 4,195 &10000000000000020548271+20.5% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.4600006.46 782.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 Still Water Lake Small 3,379 3,447 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.2300008.23 410.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 Port Hawkesbury Small 2,998 3,004 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.2% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 599.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 Springhill Small 2,654 2,743 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.2% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.8400004.84 548.3/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 Pictou Small 2,643 2,711 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.5% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.3500004.35 607.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 Eskasoni 3 Small 2,575 2,352 &10000000000000009481292+9.5% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.7000005.7 451.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 Liverpool Small 2,546 2,549 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.1% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.5900003.59 709.2/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 Berwick Small 2,455 2,517 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.5% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.3100004.31 569.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024 Lunenburg Small 2,405 2,262 &10000000000000006321839+6.3% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.3500003.35 717.9/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 Lake Echo Small 2,365 2,515 Template:Number table sorting/negative−6.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.7600004.76 496.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 Indian Brook 14 Small 2,332 655 &10000000000000256030534+256.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.8900003.89 599.5/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 Digby Small 2,001 2,060 Template:Number table sorting/negative−2.9% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.1600003.16 633.2/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 Hantsport Small 1,542 1,560 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.2% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.8900002.89 533.6/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029 Brookside Small 1,439 1,441 Template:Number table sorting/negative−0.1% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.8100002.81 512.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 Shelburne Small 1,439 1,483 Template:Number table sorting/negative−3.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.6000002.6 553.5/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 Middleton Small 1,429 1,391 &10000000000000002731847+2.7% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.7200002.72 525.4/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 Chester Small 1,371 1,362 &10000000000000000660792+0.7% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.2300003.23 424.5/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 Inverness Small 1,228 1,248 Template:Number table sorting/negative−1.6% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.7300002.73 449.8/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034 Centreville Small 1,159 1,129 &10000000000000002657218+2.7% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.3600002.36 491.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 Howie Centre Small 1,106 1,157 Template:Number table sorting/negative−4.4% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.6700001.67 662.3/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 Hayes Subdivision Small 1,044 1,121 Template:Number table sorting/negative−6.9% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.1000001.1 949.1/km2
&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 Port Williams Small 1,030 1,120 Template:Number table sorting/negative−8.0% &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.9200001.92 536.5/km2

Population of Nova Scotia since 1851

Year Population  % change Rank*
5-year 10-year
1851 276,854 – –
3
1861 330,857 – 19.5
1871 387,800 – 17.2
1881 440,572 – 13.6
1891 450,396 – 2.2
1901 459,574 – 2.0
1911 492,338 – 7.1
4
1921 523,837 – 6.4
7
1931 512,846 – - 2.1
1941 577,962 – 12.7
1951 642,584 – 11.2
1956 694,717 8.1 –
Year Population  % change Rank*
5-year 10-year
1961 737,007 6.1 14.7
7
1966 756,039 2.6 8.8
1971 788,965 4.4 7.0
1976 828,570 5.0 9.6
1981 847,442 2.3 7.4
1986 873,175 3.0 5.4
1991 899,942 3.1 6.2
1996 909,282 1.0 4.1
2001 908,007 - 0.1 0.9
2006 913,462 0.6 2.8
2011 921,727 0.9 1.5
2016 952,298 0.2 1.1

Source: Statistics Canada 
* among provinces.
** Preliminary 2006 census estimate.

Visible minorities and Aboriginals

Visible minority and Aboriginal population (Canada 2011 Census)
Population group Population  % of total population
White 825,050 91%
Visible minority group
Source:		 South Asian 4,965 0.5%
Chinese 6,050 0.7%
Black 20,790 2.3%
Latin American 1,360 0.2%
Filipino 1,890 0.2%
Arab 6,290 0.7%
Southeast Asian 1,155 0.1%
West Asian 1,365 0.2%
Korean 960 0.1%
Japanese 445 0%
Visible minority, n.i.e. 720 0.1%
Multiple visible minority 1,290 0.1%
Total visible minority population 47,270 5.2%
Aboriginal group
Source:		 First Nations 21,895 2.4%
Métis 10,050 1.1%
Inuit 695 0.1%
Multiple Aboriginal identity 225 0%
Aboriginal, n.i.e. 980 0.1%
Total Aboriginal population 33,850 3.7%
Total population 906,175 100%

Languages

Nouvelle-Ecosse langues
Mother tongue in Nova Scotia: Red – majority anglophone, Orange – mixed, Blue – majority francophone.

The 2011 Canadian census showed a population of 921,727.
Of the 904,285 singular responses to the census question concerning mother tongue the most commonly reported languages were:

Ranking Language Population Percentage
1. English 836,085 92.46%
2. French 31,105 3.44%
3. Arabic 5,965 0.66%
4. Algonquian languages 4,685 0.52%
Mi'kmaq 4,620 0.51%
5. German 3,275 0.36%
6. Chinese 2,750 0.30%
Mandarin 905 0.10%
Cantonese 590 0.06%
7. Dutch 1,725 0.19%
8. Spanish 1,545 0.17%
=9. Tagalog 1,185 0.13%
=9. Persian 1,185 0.13%
11. Polish 825 0.09%
=12. Korean 815 0.09%
=12. Russian 815 0.09%
14. Italian 790 0.09%
15. Greek 775 0.08%
16. Scandinavian languages 595 0.06%
Danish 175 0.02%
Norwegian 125 0.02%
Icelandic 120 0.01%
Swedish 85 0.01%
17. Urdu 540 0.06%
18. Serbo-Croatian languages 520 0.06%
Croatian 210 0.02%
Serbo-Croatian 105 0.01%
Bosnian 90 0.01%
Serbian 115 0.01%
19. Hindi 515 0.06%
20. Vietnamese 450 0.05%
21. Portuguese 380 0.04%
22. Bengali 375 0.04%
23. Panjabi 370 0.04%
24. Celtic languages 330 0.04%
25. Japanese 305 0.03%
26. Ukrainian 300 0.03%
27. Hungarian 280 0.03%
28. Czech 180 0.02%
29. Romanian 170 0.02%
30. Gujarati 105 0.01%

There were also 275 single-language responses for Turkish; 195 for Non-verbal languages (Sign languages); 30 for Malay; 100 for Bantu languages; 70 for Kurdish; 120 for Slovak; and 5 for Estonian. Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.

Migration

Immigration

The 2006 Canadian census counted a total of 45,195 immigrants living in Nova Scotia.
The most commonly reported origins for these immigrants were:

Country Immigrants
1. United Kingdom 11,665
2. United States 7,960
3. Germany 2,850
4. Netherlands 1,830
5. China 1,740
6. India 1,440
7. Lebanon 1,265
8. Poland 970
9. Kuwait 780
10. Egypt 675
11. former Yugoslavia 670
12. Greece 545
13. Italy 540
14. France 530
15. Iran 520
16. Pakistan 450
17. South Korea 430
18. Ireland (Éire) 425
19. Philippines 420
20. Vietnam 375

There were also 365 immigrants from Australia; 320 from South Africa; 280 from Hong Kong; 255 from Saudi Arabia; 245 from Iraq and from Trinidad and Tobago; 225 from Hungary and from Russia; 220 from Portugal; 215 from Switzerland; 210 from Denmark; and 205 from Belize.

Internal migration

Net cumulative interprovincial migration, 1997 to 2017, as a share of population, 2016
Net cumulative interprovincial migration per Province from 1997 to 2017, as a share of population of each Provinces
Main page: Interprovincial migration in Canada

A total of 101,035 people moved to Nova Scotia from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 110,335 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net outmigration of 11,925 people to Alberta and 4,120 to Ontario; as well as a net influx of 4,690 people from Newfoundland and Labrador and 2,930 from New Brunswick. During this period there was a net outmigration of 835 francophones to Quebec and 340 to Alberta; and a net influx of 575 anglophones from Quebec and 145 francophones from New Brunswick. (All net inter-provincial movements of more than 500 persons and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given.)

Religion

Counties of Nova Scotia by Majority Religion
Majority religion in Nova Scotia by county
Religion (2011)
Religion Population Pct (%)
Catholic 298,270 32.92%
No religious affiliation 197,665 21.81%
United Church 109,700 12.10%
Anglican 100,120 11.05%
Baptist 80,815 8.92%
Other Christian 55,555 6.13%
Presbyterian 23,555 2.60%
Pentecostal 9,595 1.06%
Lutheran 9,485 1.05%
Muslim 8,505 0.94%
Christian Orthodox 3,370 0.37%
Other religions 2,720 0.30%
Buddhist 2,205 0.24%
Hindu 1,850 0.20%
Jewish 1,805 0.20%
Traditional (Aboriginal) Spirituality 570 0.06%
Sikh 390 0.04%

Employment

As of February 2019, the unemployment rate for the province is 6.4 percent. Halifax Regional Municipality 4.9 percent

Income

Median Household Income
By County By Community
Rank County 2011
1 Halifax County $62,049
2 Hants County $60,186
3 Antigonish County $57,577
Nova Scotia $53,606
4 Inverness County $53,194
5 Kings County $51,850
6 Richmond County $50,745
7 Colchester County $50,568
8 Pictou County $50,417
9 Lunenburg County $48,154
10 Yarmouth County $47,676
11 Victoria County $47,413
12 Cape Breton County $47,224
13 Queens County $45,050
14 Shelburne County $44,267
15 Cumberland County $43,385
17 Annapolis County $43,522
17 Digby County $42,293
18 Guysborough County $42,063
Rank Community 2011
1 Halifax Regional Municipality $62,069
2 Port Hawkesbury $61,013
Nova Scotia $53,606
3 Stewiacke $52,118
4 Mahone Bay $49,158
5 Wolfville $48,671
6 Hantsport $48,584
7 Clark's Harbour $48,102
8 Cape Breton Regional Municipality $47,830
9 Stellarton $46,307
10 Antigonish $45,538
11 Kentville $45,098
12 New Glasgow $44,942
13 Westville $44,647
14 Middleton $44,048
15 Annapolis Royal $43,956
16 Trenton $42,535
17 Pictou $41,905
18 Truro $41,878
19 Windsor $41,859
20 Amherst $41,027
21 Bridgewater $40,049
22 Berwick $39,674
23 Lunenburg $39,529
24 Bridgetown $38,248
25 Oxford $37,734
26 Springhill $36,995
27 Mulgrave $36,200
28 Canso $35,574
29 Shelburne $35,526
30 Yarmouth $34,572
31 Lockeport $33,854
32 Digby $33,437
33 Parrsboro $27,472

Gross domestic product

Nova Scotia GDP is presently approximately $33 billion (Can) annually.



Images for kids

  • Canada Nova Scotia Density 2016

    Canada Nova Scotia Density 2016

  • Nouvelle-Ecosse langues

    Mother tongue in Nova Scotia: Red – majority anglophone, Orange – mixed, Blue – majority francophone.

See also

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