The Northern Ireland population is projected to pass 1.8m next year and rise to 1.839m by 2013, according to latest government figures.

The figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency confirm the trend towards an aging population.

The number of people of pensionable age is projected to increase by around 11% in the next five years and by 40% in the next 15 years.

The figures are based on assumptions about future birth and death rates.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) also considers migration rates and assumes that over the next six years around 10,000 more people will come here to live than leave.

Beyond this migration will be broadly in balance with 500 more people        coming here to live than leaving each year

NISRA also suggests the hypothetical "average woman" in Northern Ireland will have 1.95 children in her lifetime.

Pension

People will continue to live longer, with death rates continuing to reduce. In the long term rates of improvement in mortality rates are projected to be 1% per annum.

The number of children in Northern Ireland is projected to increase marginally over the next fifteen years from 381,000 children in 2008 to a projected 398,000 children in 2023 (a 4% increase).

The number of people of current working age is also projected to increase marginally from 1,098,000 people in 2008 to a projected 1,132,000 people in 2023 (a 3% increase).

In contrast the number of people of current pensionable age is projected to increase markedly from 296,000 in 2008 to 416,000 in 2023, an increase of 41%.

Between 2010 and 2020, the age at which women are eligible for the state pension will increase from 60 years to 65 years. Taking this into account, the number of people of working age is projected to rise by 9% and the number of actual pensioners will grow by 20%.

These figures show that the age profile of the population will gradually become older.

The average age will rise from 37.6 years in 2008 to 40.4 years by 2023.

The number of people aged 65 and over will continue to rise after 2023, and there are projected to be twice as many people aged 65 and over in 2041 than there are today.

View the statistics - Population set to pass 1.8 million next year