VORARLBERG - Population
Third highest growth of population in Austria
The increase in population, which had started in the 1860s, came to an abrupt halt at the end of the First World War with the crisis in the embroidery industry. Between 1910 and 1920 Vorarlberg lost 8% of its population. After the depression years, the population shot up again. From 158 000 in 1939, it had risen by 22% by 1951 and by a further 71% to a total of 332 000 by 1991. Voralberg exceeded the threshold of 350 000 inhabitants, at the census from 2001 being registered with 351 095 inhabitants, which is 5.9% more than in 1991. This is the third highest growth of population of all Bundesländer, after Salzburg and Tirol. The basis of the population increase is the excedent of the births over deaths during the last decade by 19 981 persons. Migration, which played almost always a minor role in Voralberg, presented a negative balance for the first time after a long period of time.
Since the mid-1960s the bulk of immigrants have arrived from other countries. As long ago as 1971 some 9% of the population were foreigners. Currently, one in seven of the population is a foreigner: 17% are from EU countries (including 13% from Germany), 40% from Turkey and 34% from Yugoslavia. Roman Catholics account for 78% of the population and the second most widely practiced religion is Islam (8.4%).
Fertility is the highest in Austria at 1.51 live births per woman. Life expectancy for men was 77 years and for women 83 years in 2002, both figures are over the national average. Vorarlberg has the country's highest percentages of children and young adults in its population.
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