THE north's population is expected to hit two million within 20 years, with almost a quarter of that figure set to be pensioners aged 65 or over.
Increased births will be the principal factor driving the growth in the population, up from the current total of 1.8 million.
The north will be home to 1.9 million people by mid-2020, but trends will see a significant shift towards an ageing population, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
Almost 500,000 people will be 65 or over by 2034, an increase of nearly 75 per cent, while less than one in five will be children under the age of 15.
By 2039, the number of people over 85 is expected to double from current figures, with men set to close the life expectancy gap.
Four in ten of those aged 85 or over will be men by 2039, up from three in ten at present.
However, the north will have lower population growth, at almost 10 per cent, when compared to the rest of the UK, at 15 per cent.
