Demographics of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is a province of Canada on the country's Atlantic coast in northeastern North America. The province has an area of 405,212 square kilometres (100,130,000 acres) and a population in 2024 of 545,880, with approximately 95% of the provincial population residing on the Island of Newfoundland (including its associated smaller islands), with more than half of the population residing on the Avalon Peninsula. People from Newfoundland and Labrador are called "Newfoundlanders," "Labradorians" (as appropriate), or "Newfoundlanders and Labradorians".

Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Density 2016

Population history

Since entering confederation, Newfoundland and Labrador has always been ranked 9th among provinces in population.

Historical populations

Year	Pop.	±%
1825	55,719	—
1836	73,705	+32.3%
1845	96,295	+30.6%
1851	101,600	+5.5%
1857	124,288	+22.3%
1869	146,536	+17.9%
1874	161,374	+10.1%
1884	197,335	+22.3%
1891	202,040	+2.4%
1901	220,984	+9.4%
1911	242,619	+9.8%
1921	263,033	+8.4%
1935	289,588	+10.1%
1951	361,416	+24.8%
1956	415,074	+14.8%
1961	457,853	+10.3%
1966	493,396	+7.8%
1971	522,100	+5.8%
1976	557,720	+6.8%
1981	567,681	+1.8%
1986	568,350	+0.1%
1991	568,475	+0.0%
1996	551,790	−2.9%
2001	512,930	−7.0%
2006	505,469	−1.5%
2011	514,536	+1.8%
2016	519,716	+1.0%
2021	510,550	−1.8%
Source:[1][2] and Statistics Canada

Source: Statistics Canada^[3][4]

Population geography

Cities and towns

Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations in the province by population^[5]

Urban Area	2016
St. John's (CMA)	205,955
Corner Brook (CA)	31,917
Grand Falls-Windsor (CA)	14,171
Gander (CA)	13,234
Bay Roberts (CA)	11,083

Municipalities by population

Municipalities in the province by population are

Rank	Municipality	2016
1	St. John's	110,525
2	Conception Bay South	27,168
3	Paradise	22,957
4	Mount Pearl	22,477
5	Corner Brook	19,333
6	Grand Falls-Windsor	13,853
7	Gander	11,880
8	Portugal Cove-St. Philip's	8,415
9	Happy Valley-Goose Bay	8,040
10	Torbay	7,852
11	Labrador City	7,220
12	Stephenville	6,540
13	Clarenville	6,704
14	Bay Roberts	5,974
15	Marystown	5,974
16	Deer Lake	4,864
17	Carbonear	4,696
18	Channel-Port aux Basques	3,547
19	Pasadena	3,524
20	Placentia	3,289
21	Bonavista	3,190
22	Lewisporte	3,288
23	Bishop's Falls	3,156
24	Harbour Grace	2,995
25	Springdale	2,971
26	Botwood	2,875
27	Spaniard's Bay	2,653
28	Holyrood	2,463
29	Burin	2,315
30	Grand Bank	2,310
31	St. Anthony	2,258
32	Fogo Island	2,244
33	Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove	2,221
34	Twillingate	2,196
35	New-Wes-Valley	2,172
36	Wabana	2,146
37	Glovertown	2,083
38	Pouch Cove	2,069
39	Kippens	2,008
40	Gambo	1,978
41	Wabush	1,906
42	Trinity Bay North	1,819
43	Victoria	1,800
44	Stephenville Crossing	1,719
45	Flatrock	1,683
46	Harbour Breton	1,634
47	Massey Drive	1,632
48	Witless Bay	1,619
49	Humber Arm South	1,599
50	Upper Island Cove	1,561
51	Clarke's Beach	1,558
52	Bay Bulls	1,500
53	Irishtown-Summerside	1,418
54	Fortune	1,401
55	Baie Verte	1,313
56	Burgeo	1,307
57	St. George's	1,203
58	St. Lawrence	1,192
59	St. Alban's	1,186
60	Centreville-Wareham-Trinity	1,147
61	Nain	1,125
62	Harbour Main-Chapel's Cove-Lakeview	1,067
63	Sheshatshiu	1,023
64	Roddickton-Bide Arm	999
65	Musgrave Harbour	990
66	Triton	983
67	Hare Bay	969
68	Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove	960
69	Samiajij Miawpukek	956
70	Arnold's Cove	949
71	Rocky Harbour	947
72	Natuashish	936
73	Summerford	906
74	Whitbourne	890
75	LaScie	872
76	Cape St. George	853
77	Peterview	828
78	Robert's Arm	805
79	Port aux Choix	789
80	Glenwood	778
81	Milltown-Head of Bay D'Espoir	749
82	Mount Moriah	746
83	Cupids	743
84	Carmanville	740
85	Norris Arm	737
86	Brigus	723
87	Badger	704
88	Embree	701
89	Cox's Cove	688
90	Conception Harbour	685
91	Salmon Cove	680
92	Heart's Delight-Islington	674
93	Port Saunders	674
94	Norris Point	670
95	Norman's Cove-Long Cove	666
96	Isle aux Morts	664
97	Dover	662
98	King's Point	659
99	Colliers	654
100	South River	647
101	Buchans	642
102	Avondale	641
103	Old Perlican	633
104	Meadows	626
105	Lawn	624
106	Burnt Islands	622
107	St. Lunaire-Griquet	604
108	Port Blandford	601
109	Cormack	597
110	Point Leamington	591
111	St. Jacques-Coomb's Cove	588
112	Port au Port East	579
113	Appleton	574
114	Hopedale	574
115	North River	570
116	Garnish	568
117	Musgravetown	564
118	L'Anse au Loup	558
119	Trout River	552
120	Birchy Bay	550
121	North West River	547
122	Lewin's Cove	544
123	McIvers	538
124	Englee	527
125	Lark Harbour	522
126	Reidville	509
127	Eastport	501
128	Lumsden	501
129	Cape Broyle	489
130	South Brook	482
131	Terrenceville	482
132	Trepassey	481
133	Middle Arm	474
134	Lourdes	465
135	Chapel Arm	457
136	Bauline	452
137	Campbellton	452
138	Winterton	450
139	Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove	449
140	Ramea	447
141	Steady Brook	444
142	St. Bernard's-Jacques Fontaine	433
143	Hampden	429
144	Cow Head	428
145	Cartwright	427
146	Northern Arm	426
147	Hermitage-Sandyville	422
148	Ferryland	414
149	Port Hope Simpson	412
150	Gillams	410
151	Forteau	409
152	Comfort Cove-Newstead	407
153	Sunnyside	396
154	Bryant's Cove	395
155	Rose Blanche-Harbour le Cou	394
156	Bay de Verde	392
157	Winterland	390
158	Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove	387
159	Makkovik	377
160	Belleoram	374
161	Whiteway	373
162	Southern Harbour	369
163	Mount Carmel-Mitchells Brook-St. Catharine's	349
164	St. Mary's	347
165	Parson's Pond	345
166	York Harbour	344
167	Mary's Harbour	341
168	Heart's Content	340
169	Port Rexton	340
170	Hant's Harbour	329
171	Fermeuse	325
172	Ming's Bight	319
173	Hawke's Bay	315
174	Anchor Point	314
175	Burlington	314
176	St. Vincent's-St. Stephen's-Peter's River	313
177	Elliston	308
178	Rigolet	305
179	Seal Cove (White Bay)	303
180	Renews-Cappahayden	301
181	Fox Cove-Mortier	295
182	Pilley's Cove	294
183	Leading Tickles	292
184	Charlottetown	290
185	Bishop's Cove	287
186	Jackson's Arm	284
187	Woody Point	282
188	Little Burnt Bay	281
189	Cottlesville	271
190	Flower's Cove	270
191	Lamaline	267
192	Traytown	267
193	Greenspond	266
194	Baytona	262
195	Chance Cove	256
196	Hughes Brook	255
197	Daniel's Harbour	253
198	Fox Harbour	252
199	St. Bride's	252
200	Parkers Cove	248
201	Rushoon	245
202	Fleur de Lys	244
203	Main Brook	243
204	Seal Cove (Fortune Bay)	242
205	Bay L'Argent	241
206	St. Pauls	238
207	Grand le Pierre	235
208	Gaskiers-Point La Haye	232
209	Point May	231
210	Sandringham	229
211	Branch	228
212	Come By Chance	228
213	Glenburnie-Birchy Head-Shoal Brook	224
214	L'Anse-au-Clair	216
215	River of Ponds	215
216	Heart's Desire	213
217	Change Islands	208
218	Howley	205
219	Happy Adventure	200
220	Westport	195
221	St. Lewis	194
222	Pool's Cove	193
223	Woodstock	190
224	Red Harbour	189
225	Brighton	188
226	New Perlican	186
227	Long Harbour-Mount Arlington Heights	185
228	Riverhead	185
229	Bird Cove	179
230	Crow Head	177
231	Postville	177
232	Raleigh	177
233	Indian Bay	175
234	Goose Cove East	174
235	Conche	170
236	Frenchman's Cove	169
237	Red Bay	169
238	Trinity	169
239	Lushes Bight-Beaumount-Beaumont North	168
240	Pacquet	164
241	Lord's Cove	162
242	Brent's Cove	157
243	Point of Bay	154
244	Portugal Cove South	150
245	St. Brendan's	145
246	English Harbour East	139
247	Recontre East	139
248	Gaultois	136
249	Admirals Beach	135
250	Beachside	132
251	Point Anson	130
252	Little Bay East	127
253	Baine Harbour	124
254	Salvage	124
255	Cook's Harbour	123
256	Sandy Cove	122
257	St. Joseph's	115
258	West St. Modeste	111
259	Coachman's Cove	105
260	Little Bay	105
261	Miles Cove	104
262	Point Lance	102
263	Morrisville	101
264	King's Cove	90
265	Pinware	88
266	Point au Gaul	88
267	Nippers Harbour	85
268	Millertown	81
269	Aquaforte	80
270	Colinet	80
271	Terra Nova	73
272	Little Bay Islands	71
273	St. Shott's	66
274	Bellburns	53
275	Port Kirwan	52
276	Keels	51
278	Gallants	50
279	Duntara	30
280	Sally's Cove	20
281	Tilt Cove	5

Ethnicity

More than half the population identified their ethnocultural ancestry as Canadian, while two-fifths identified English ancestry, and one-fifth identified Irish ancestry. However Canadian is written on the census first, and many people write in other ethnic groups after it which are listed in another section, so numbers do not represent accurate responses to ethnicity. Canadian is a citizenship almost no one identifies with culturally outside of forced census questions.

More than 100,000 Newfoundlanders have applied for membership in the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band, equivalent to one-fifth of the total population.^[6]

Ethnicity	2001	%
Canadian	271,345	43.41%
English	200,120	39.39%
Irish	100,260	19.73%
Scottish	30,295	5.96%
French	27,785	5.47%
Indigenous	16,030	3.16%
Inuit	7,445	1.47%
German	6,275	1.24%
Métis	6,120	1.20%
Newfoundlander	3,585	0.71%
Welsh	2,790	0.55%
Dutch (Netherlands)	1,385	0.27%
Italian	1,180	0.23%
Norwegian	1,180	0.23%
Chinese	1,110	0.22%
American (USA)	1,065	0.21%
East Indian	940	0.19%
British	925	0.18%
Spanish	765	0.15%
Portuguese	735	0.14%
Polish	665	0.13%
Swedish	655	0.13%
Ukrainian	580	0.11%
Lebanese	515	0.10%
Danish	455	0.09%
Jewish	370	0.07%
Filipino	340	0.07%
Russian	285	0.06%
Greek	245	0.05%
Hungarian (Magyar)	245	0.05%
Austrian	225	0.04%
African (Black), n.i.e.	180	0.04%
Egyptian	165	0.03%
Finnish	145	0.03%
Black	120	0.02%
Jamaican	120	0.02%
Acadian	115	0.02%
Arab, n.i.e.	115	0.02%
Belgian	115	0.02%
Czech	115	0.02%
Romanian	115	0.02%
South African	105	0.02%

The same data on ethnocultural ancestry, grouped more geographically by Statistics Canada, are shown below:

Origins	2001	%
North American	274,755	54.08%
British Isles	266,010	52.36%
Aboriginal	28,065	5.52%
French	27,835	5.48%
Western European	7,705	1.52%
Southern European	3,285	0.65%
Northern European	2,510	0.49%
Eastern European	2,050	0.40%
East and Southeast Asian	1,685	0.33%

Origins	2001	%
South Asian	1,110	0.22%
Arab	915	0.18%
Other European	520	0.10%
African	465	0.09%
Caribbean	270	0.05%
West Asian	130	0.03%
Latin, Central and South American	75	0.01%
Oceania	45	0.01%

Percentages are calculated as a proportion of the total number of respondents (508,075) and may total more than 100% due to dual responses.
Only groups of more than 0.02% are shown^[7]

Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

Indigenous and visible minority identity (2021):^[8]

1. European Canadian (87.4%)
2. Visible minority (3.4%)
3. First Nations (5.7%)
4. Métis (1.5%)
5. Inuit (1.5%)
6. Other Indigenous (0.7%)

Visible minority and Indigenous population (Canada 2021 Census)[9]
Population group		Population	%
European[a]		438,700	87.4%
Visible minority group	South Asian	4,545	0.9%
	Chinese	2,005	0.4%
	Black	3,590	0.7%
	Filipino	2,270	0.5%
	Arab	1,740	0.3%
	Latin American	755	0.2%
	Southeast Asian	505	0.1%
	West Asian	550	0.1%
	Korean	220	0.0%
	Japanese	85	0.0%
	Visible minority, n.i.e.	205	0.0%
	Multiple visible minorities	395	0.1%
Total visible minority population		16,855	3.4%
Indigenous group	First Nations (North American Indian)	28,435	5.7%
	Métis	7,335	1.5%
	Inuk (Inuit)	7,330	1.5%
	Multiple Indigenous responses	685	0.1%
	Indigenous responses n.i.e.	2,765	0.6%
Total Indigenous population		46,545	9.3%
Total population		502,100	100.0%

Languages

Knowledge of languages

The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The following figures are from the 2021 Canadian Census, and lists languages that were selected by at least 0.2 per cent of respondents.

Knowledge of languages in Newfoundland and Labrador

Language	2021[10]
	Pop.	%
English	501,135	99.81%
French	26,130	5.2%
Arabic	2,195	0.44%
Spanish	2,085	0.42%
Innu (Montagnais)	1,925	0.38%
Tagalog	1,810	0.36%
Hindi	1,565	0.31%
Mandarin	1,170	0.23%
German	1,075	0.21%
Punjabi	1,040	0.21%
Bengali	875	0.17%
American Sign Language	875	0.17%

Mother tongue

Languages of Newfoundland and Labrador (2016):^[11]

1. English (96.9%)
2. French (0.5%)
3. Other language (2.3%)
4. Multiple (0.3%)

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 505,469.
Of the 499,830 singular responses to the census question concerning mother tongue the most commonly reported languages were:

		2006	%	2001	%
1.	English	488,405	97.71%	499,750	98.49%
2.	French	1,885	0.38%	2,180	0.43%
3.	Algonquian languages	1,625	0.33%	1,510	0.30%
	Montagnais–Naskapi	1,585	0.32%	1,495	0.29%
4.	Chinese	1,080	0.22%	525	0.10%
	Cantonese	185	0.04%	55	0.01%
	Mandarin	120	0.02%	25	~
5.	Spanish	670	0.13%	50	0.01%
6.	German	655	0.13%	340	0.07%
7.	Inuktitut	595	0.12%	550	0.11%
8.	Urdu	550	0.11%	90	0.02%
9.	Arabic	540	0.11%	210	0.04%
10.	Dutch	300	0.06%	95	0.02%
11.	Russian	225	0.05%	75	0.01%
12.	Scandinavian languages	220	0.04%	125	0.02%
	Norwegian	85	0.02%	40	0.01%
	Danish	65	0.01%	55	0.01%
	Swedish	65	0.01%	25	~
13.	Italian	195	0.04%	115	0.02%
14.	Germanic languages n.i.e.	180	0.04%	75	0.01%
15.	Tagalog (Filipino)	180	0.04%	130	0.03%
16.	Serbo-Croatian (all)	170	0.03%	130	0.03%
	Serbian	135	0.03%	15	~
	Croatian	35	0.01%	40	0.01%
	Serbo-Croatian	0	~	75	0.01%

		2006	%	2001	%
17.	Bengali	165	0.03%	55	0.01%
18.	Portuguese	150	0.03%	105	0.02%
19.	Hungarian	140	0.03%	45	0.01%
20.	Panjabi (Punjabi)	120	0.02%	95	0.02%
21.	African languages n.i.e.	100	0.02%	10	~
21.	Non-verbal languages	100	0.02%	N	N
23.	Bantu languages	95	0.02%	0	~
23.	Bulgarian	95	0.02%	75	0.01%
25.	Niger–Congo languages n.i.e.	85	0.13%	40	0.1%
26.	Romanian	75	0.02%	15	~
27.	Greek	70	0.01%	40	0.01%
27.	Japanese	70	0.01%	45	0.01%
29.	Telugu	65	0.01%	45	0.01%
30.	Persian	60	0.01%	70	0.01%
30.	Ukrainian	60	0.01%	20	~
32.	Czech	50	0.01%	15	~
32.	Gujarati	50	0.01%	50	0.01%
32.	Hindi	50	0.01%	55	0.01%
32.	Korean	50	0.01%	50	0.01%
36.	Malayalam	40	0.01%	10	~
37.	Turkish	40	0.01%	25	~
38.	Welsh	35	0.01%	20	~
39.	Gaelic languages	30	0.01%	10	~
40.

Note: "n.i.e.": not included elsewhere

There were also about 25 single-language responses for Amharic, 25 for Bisayan languages, 20 for Sinhala and 20 for Slovak. In addition, there were also 435 responses of English and a non-official language; 30 of French and a non-official language; 295 of English and French; and 10 of English, French, and a non-official language. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)^[12]

Religion

The Dominion of Newfoundland's final census of religion, 1945.

A 93.2% majority of Newfoundlanders identify as Christian. Among this group, Roman Catholics form a plurality of 38.4%. As Newfoundland and Labrador has received less recent immigration than the rest of Canada, a relatively small number of Christian denominations are represented in the province.

One well-established feature of Newfoundland's religious landscape is the Salvation Army, whose members are more widespread in Newfoundland and Labrador than any other province. Also notable are missionaries of the Moravian Church, who have a long history with the Labrador Inuit of Nunatsiavut, although they were not active in other regions of the province.

Religious groups in Newfoundland and Labrador (1981−2021)

Religious group	2021[13]		2011[14]		2001[15]		1991[16]		1981[17]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Christianity	413,915	82.44%	472,720	93.19%	493,485	97.13%	553,230	98.1%	557,225	98.84%
Irreligion	80,330	16%	31,330	6.18%	12,865	2.53%	9,270	1.64%	5,605	0.99%
Islam	3,995	0.8%	1,200	0.24%	625	0.12%	300	0.05%	100	0.02%
Hinduism	1,200	0.24%	635	0.13%	400	0.08%	445	0.08%	315	0.06%
Sikhism	855	0.17%	100	0.02%	130	0.03%	130	0.02%	65	0.01%
Buddhism	490	0.1%	400	0.08%	180	0.04%	105	0.02%	135	0.02%
Judaism	240	0.05%	175	0.03%	140	0.03%	125	0.02%	220	0.04%
Indigenous spirituality	105	0.02%	30	0.01%	—	—	—	—	—	—
Other	965	0.19%	685	0.14%	250	0.05%	335	0.06%	65	0.01%
Total responses	502,100	98.34%	507,270	98.59%	508,075	99.05%	563,940	99.2%	563,750	99.31%
Total population	510,550	100%	514,536	100%	512,930	100%	568,475	100%	567,681	100%

Migration

Immigration

Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Statistics^{[18]: 247 [19]: 75 [20]: 108}

Year	Immigrant percentage	Immigrant population	Total population
1857	12.4%	15,239	122,638
1869	6.9%	10,158	146,536
1951	1.1%	3,829	361,416
1961	1.4%	6,269	457,853
1971	1.7%	8,945	522,105

The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 14,250 persons or 2.8 percent of the total population of Newfoundland and Labrador.^[21]

Immigrants in Newfoundland and Labrador by country of birth

Country of Birth	2021[22][21]		2016[23]		2011[24][25]		2006[26][27]		2001[28][29]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
United Kingdom	2,300	16.1%	2,215	18.3%	2,490	27.2%	2,335	27.9%	2,595	32.3%
Philippines	1,650	11.6%	855	7.1%	155	1.7%	165	2%	175	2.2%
United States of America	1,390	9.8%	1,540	12.8%	1,575	17.2%	1,400	16.7%	1,600	19.9%
India	835	5.9%	635	5.3%	375	4.1%	435	5.2%	465	5.8%
China	630	4.4%	835	6.9%	515	5.6%	340	4.1%	240	3%
Syria	485	3.4%	315	2.6%	10	0.1%	10	0.1%	15	0.2%
Nigeria	455	3.2%	190	1.6%	105	1.1%	10	0.1%	20	0.2%
Ireland	290	2%	180	1.5%	180	2%	150	1.8%	135	1.7%
Germany	245	1.7%	365	3%	320	3.5%	385	4.6%	400	5%
Bangladesh	230	1.6%	160	1.3%	120	1.3%	45	0.5%	35	0.4%
Total immigrants	14,250	2.8%	12,075	2.4%	9,160	1.8%	8,380	1.7%	8,030	1.6%
Total responses	502,100	98.3%	512,255	98.6%	507,270	98.6%	500,605	99%	508,075	99.1%
Total population	510,550	100%	519,716	100%	514,536	100%	505,469	100%	512,930	100%

Recent immigration

The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 4,270 people who immigrated to Newfoundland and Labrador between 2016 and 2021.^[21]

Recent immigrants to Newfoundland and Labrador by Country of birth (2016 to 2021)[21]
Country of Birth	Population	% recent immigrants
Philippines	940	22%
Syria	400	9.4%
India	325	7.6%
Nigeria	300	7%
China	195	4.6%
United States of America	145	3.4%
Jamaica	140	3.3%
United Kingdom	125	2.9%
Pakistan	105	2.5%
Eritrea	100	2.3%
Total	4,270	100%

Interprovincial migration

Net cumulative interprovincial migration per Province from 1997 to 2017, as a share of population of each Provinces

Main article: Interprovincial migration in Canada

Since it started being recorded in 1971, Newfoundland and Labrador is the province that has lost the biggest share of its population to interprovincial migration, which was especially high in the 1990s. Out-migration from the province was curtailed in 2008 and net migration stayed positive through 2014, when it again dropped due to bleak finances and rising unemployment (caused by falling oil prices).^{[citation needed]} With the announcement of the 2016 provincial budget, St. John's Telegram American-born columnist Russell Wangersky published the column "Get out if you can", which urged young Newfoundlanders to leave the province to avoid future hardships which never occurred.^[30]

Interprovincial migration in Newfoundland and Labrador

	In-migrants	Out-migrants	Net migration
2008–09	10,262	8,385	1,877
2009–10	8,998	7,440	1,558
2010–11	7,785	7,755	30
2011–12	8,173	7,628	545
2012–13	7,283	6,788	495
2013–14	6,994	6,760	234
2014–15	7,012	6,851	161
2015–16	6,600	6,368	232
2016–17	5,400	6,830	−1,430
2017–18	5,187	7,920	−2,733
2018–19	5,207	9,706	−4,501

Source: Statistics Canada

See also

BC

AB

SK

MB

ON

QC

NB

PE

NS

NL

YT

NT

NU

Demographics of Canada's provinces and territories

• Demographics of Canada
• Population of Canada by province and territory

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.