QUARTERLY STATISTICAL NEWS BULLETIN

November 2015

The St Helena Quarterly Statistical News Bulletin for November 2015 covers the period July to September 2015 (Quarter 3), and contains updates for the annual rate of Inflation of the Retail Price Index, high level economic updates, estimated population, arrivals and departures and an update on the 2016 Census. The bulletin is available on the SHG website at:  www.sainthelena.gov.sh/statistics

Annual Inflation of the St Helena Retail Price Index (RPI) stood at 1.8 per cent in Quarter 3 2015 – a decrease of 0.4 per cent from the previous quarter. The major upwards pressures come from an increase in Fuel, Food and Labour costs. These upwards pressures are partially mitigated by a number of price decreases, a result of an extremely favourable exchange rate between the St Helena Pound and the South African Rand.

In the third calendar quarter of 2015, the number of people on Island averaged 4,548 and the average St Helenian population was 4,031. Compared with the same period in 2014 this represents a 2.4 per cent increase in total population. Migration continues to be the largest driver of population growth, and there have been 33 births and 44 deaths in the year to date, resulting in a natural population decrease.

In the first half of Financial Year 2015/16, a 17 per cent increase in passenger arrivals to St Helena is noted. This represents primarily an increase in short term visitors – tourists and those visiting the Island for business purposes.

Preparations continue in readiness for the 2016 Population and Housing Census, which will be conducted from Sunday 7 February 2016.  A draft questionnaire has now been developed following extensive consultation and a number of people are currently being asked to provide feedback – in order to ensure that the questions are straightforward and provide the information required. This is an important stage of the Census development process and it is hoped that those who are invited to participate in this pilot will give it their full support.

This Statistical News Bulletin, along with other statistical reports, is available on the SHG website at: www.sainthelena.gov.sh/statistics

If you have requested a copy of this bulletin via email and have not yet received it, please contact the Statistics Office on 22138, or e-mail statistics@sainthelena.gov.sh

SHG

3 November 2015

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St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh