Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Northern Rhodesia.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1935]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Northern Rhodesia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/48 (page 8)
    III.—POPULATION. The first census of the territory took place on 7th May 1911, prior to the amalgamation in the same year of North-Eastern and North-Western Rhodesia under the title Northern Rhodesia; the second was held on 3rd May 1921, and the third on 5th May 1931. The following table shows the increase of population since 1911 (the figures for European population for 1931 are census figures, whilst all those for African population are taken from the annual Native Affairs Reports) :— Proportion of Africans to Year. Europeans. Increase, per cent. Africans. Increase, per cent. one European 1911 1,497 — 821,063 — 548-47 1921 3,634 143 979,704 19 269-59 1931 13,846 381 1,372,235 40 99 1932 10,553 *23-7 1,382,705 •76 131 1933 11,278 6-87 1,371,213 *•83 121-58 1934 11,464 1-65 1,366,425 *•33 119-21 * Decrease. The increase in the number of Europeans between 1921 and 1931 was due to the influx which took place during the develop¬ ment of the copper mines in Ndola district between 1927 and 1931. The mines had nearly completed construction towards the end of the year 1931 and a considerable number of Europeans left the territory in consequence. The economic depression which set in towards the end of 1931 has been the cause of a further drop of 23*7 per cent, during 1932. In 1933 and 1934 an increase was brought about by the renewed activity at the copper mines. The figures given have been collected from the annual reports of District Commissioners throughout the territory and may be regarded as being reasonably accurate. The European population is now in the region of 9,900. The numbers of Asiatics and non-native coloured persons in the territory at the 1931 census amounted to 176 and 425 respectively. The African population in 1934 was estimated to be 1,366,425 which showed a decrease of 4,788 or -34 per cent, on the previous year, and its average density through the territory is 4-7 to the square mile. The average birth-rate calculated on statistics taken at 411 villages with a population of 42,768 during 1934 was 52-9 per thousand, and the percentage of infantile mortality was 29-11 (in¬ fants under the age of one year 17-3 per cent., under two years 11-8 per cent.). No count of the population was made in 1935 but the figures are believed to be about the same as in 1934. The European population at 9,900 shows a decrease of 1,564 below 1934, or 7-33 per cent. The death-rate is 7-15 per 1,000, as compared with 9-42 during 1934 and 9-13 during 1933.