44 percent of women gave birth on another island last year as Vaavu Atoll recorded zero births

Most women in Vaavu Atoll go to another island to give birth, while no one gave birth in any island in the atoll last year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health and the National Bureau of Statistics.

According to the quarterly vital statistics released by the two agencies, 5,625 children were born in the Maldives last year. Of these, 3,927 births, 69.8 percent, occurred in Male' City. The remaining 30.2 percent, or 1,698 births, occurred in the atolls.

The highest number of births in the atolls were recorded in the second most populous regions: Haa Dhaalu Atoll and Addu City. Haa Dhaalu Atoll saw 385 births, while 241 births occurred in Addu City.

In contrast, no births were recorded in Vaavu Atoll last year. Only one child was born in the islands of Kaafu Atoll. Although the statistics do not detail the circumstances, it is believed that women from these islands travelled elsewhere to give birth.

The data shows that 2,501 women, 44.5 percent of all mothers, gave birth outside their usual place of residence. The remaining 3,124 births occurred on the mothers’ home islands. Of the 3,927 children born in Male' City, 1,476 were born to non‑resident mothers.

According to the 2022 census, 212,138 people live in Male' City, while 236,747 live in the atolls. The census also shows that 22,534 people live in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, 25,053 in Addu City, and fewer than 2,000 people in Vaavu Atoll.

The previously released Maldives Population Projection 2022–2062 estimated that 42 percent of the country’s population lived in Male' City in 2022. By 2026, the agency projects that more than half of the population will reside in the capital. The main reasons for migration to Male' include access to medical treatment and education.