Population of Nova Scotia 2022
Nova Scotia is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. The province’s mainland is the Nova Scotia peninsula, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and including numerous bays and estuaries.
Nova Scotia is the seventh most populous province of Canada & Its second smallest province by area. As per the Canada Census Bureau, the population of Nova Scotia in 2021 is 969,383 (0.97 million)
Source: Statistics Canada
Nova Scotia Population 2016-2021
Nova Scotia has a population growth rate of 5% during 2016-2021. It has population increase of 45,785 since 2016. Its estimated population in 2022 is 1 million
Population of Nova Scotia in 2022 – 1 million (Approx)
| Nova Scotia | Census 2021 |
| Total Population | 969,383 |
| Percentage Change since 2016 | 5% |
| Population Rank | 7th |
| Total Land Area | 52,825 sq. km (20,441 sq mi) |
| Area Rank | 12th |
| Population Density | 18.4/km2 (47.6/sq mi) |
| Capital City | Halifax |
| Largest City | Halifax |
Source: Statistics Canada
Nova Scotia Historic Population
Nova Scotia has a population growth rate during 2016-2020 of 7.41%. In 1901 Population of Nova Scotia was 0.27 million & Year 2021 it reached 1 million, an increase of almost 1 million. Let’s look at population & percentage change from the Year 1851 to 2021.
| Year | Population | Actual Change | Percentage Change |
| 1851 | 276,854 | – | – |
| 1861 | 330,857 | 54,003 | 19.51% |
| 1871 | 387,800 | 56,943 | 17.21% |
| 1881 | 440,572 | 52,772 | 13.61% |
| 1891 | 450,396 | 9,824 | 2.23% |
| 1901 | 459,574 | 9,178 | 2.04% |
| 1911 | 492,338 | 32,764 | 7.13% |
| 1921 | 523,837 | 31,499 | 6.40% |
| 1931 | 512,846 | -10,991 | -2.10% |
| 1941 | 577,962 | 65,116 | 12.70% |
| 1951 | 642,584 | 64,622 | 11.18% |
| 1956 | 694,717 | 52,133 | 8.11% |
| 1961 | 737,007 | 42,290 | 6.09% |
| 1966 | 756,039 | 19,032 | 2.58% |
| 1971 | 788,965 | 32,926 | 4.36% |
| 1976 | 828,570 | 39,605 | 5.02% |
| 1981 | 847,442 | 18,872 | 2.28% |
| 1986 | 873,175 | 25,733 | 3.04% |
| 1991 | 899,942 | 26,767 | 3.07% |
| 1996 | 909,282 | 9,340 | 1.04% |
| 2001 | 908,007 | -1,275 | -0.14% |
| 2006 | 913,462 | 5,455 | 0.60% |
| 2011 | 921,727 | 8,265 | 0.90% |
| 2016 | 923,598 | 1,871 | 0.20% |
| 2021 | 969,383 | 45,785 | 5% |
Source: Statistics Canada
Nova Scotia Ethnic composition
Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors. The ethnic origin most often reported in Nova Scotia was Canadian followed by Scottish, English, Irish, French & Germans. Europeans make 87.9% of Nova Scotia population.
Aboriginal People make 5.7% of Population of Nova Scotia. First Nations, Métis & Inuit are main subgroups.
In 2016, 58,650 (6.5%) Nova Scotiaians were identified as members of the visible minority population. South Asian was the single largest visible minority group. Chinese was second, followed by Black, Latin Americans & Filipino.
Let’s look at the top Ethnic Origins of Nova Scotia Population
| # | Ethnic Origin | Population 2016 | Percentage |
| 1 | Canadian | 387360 | 42.60% |
| 2 | Scottish | 272880 | 30.00% |
| 3 | English | 262375 | 28.90% |
| 4 | Irish | 195865 | 21.60% |
| 5 | French | 149625 | 16.50% |
| 6 | German | 97555 | 10.70% |
| 7 | First Nations | 48640 | 5.40% |
| 8 | Dutch | 32045 | 3.50% |
| 9 | Métis | 26025 | 2.90% |
| 10 | Acadian | 23700 | 2.60% |
| 11 | Black | 21915 | 2.40% |
| 12 | Chinese | 8640 | 1% |
| 13 | South Asian | 7910 | 0.90% |
| 14 | Arab | 8110 | 0.90% |
| 15 | Filipino | 3400 | 0.40% |
| 16 | Latin American | 1685 | 0.20% |
| 17 | West | 1540 | 0.20% |
| 18 | Korean | 1540 | 0.20% |
| 19 | Southeast | 1195 | 0.10% |
| 20 | Japanese | 695 | 0.10% |
| 21 | Inuit | 795 | 0.10% |
Source: Statistics Canada 2016
Top cities in Nova Scotia by population
| # | City | Population 2016 |
| 1 | Halifax | 403,131 |
| 2 | Cape Breton | 94,285 |
| 3 | Kings | 47,404 |
| 4 | Colchester | 36,091 |
| 5 | Lunenburg | 24,863 |
| 6 | East Hants | 22,453 |
| 7 | Pictou | 20,692 |
| 8 | Cumberland | 19,402 |
| 9 | West Hants | 19,016 |
| 10 | Annapolis | 18,252 |
Source: Statistics Canada 2016
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