Scotland'spopulationisprojectedtocontinuefallingaccordingtofiguresissuedtodaybytheRegistrarGeneralforScotland. 　　RegistrarGeneralJohnRandallsaid: 　　"Undertheselatestprojections,whichreflectrecentdemographictrends,thepopulationofScotlandisprojectedtocontinuedecliningslowly.Thebiggestfactorinfluencingthepopulationchangeisthefallingnumberofbirths.MigrationflowstoandfromScotlandareprojectedtobalanceoutinthefuture." 　　Thefigures,compiledbyNationalStatistics,showthat: 　　ThetotalpopulationofScotlandisprojectedtofallfrom5.11millionin2000to4.93millionin2025 　　Thenumberofchildrenagedunder16isprojectedtofallto78percentofits2000levelbytheyear2025 　　Thenumberofpeopleoverpensionableageisprojectedtoriseby15percenttonearly1.1millionin2025.(Withoutallowingforthechangeinthepensionageofwomenfrom60to65between2010and2020,thenumberofpeopleoverpensionableagewouldhaveincreasedby36percentbetween2000and2025.) 　　TheGovernmentActuaryinconsultationwith,andattherequestof,theRegistrarsGeneralforScotland,EnglandandWales,andNorthernIreland,producespopulationprojectionsfortheUKanditsconstituentcountrieseverytwoyears.ThelatestprojectionisbasedontheRegistrarGeneral'smid-yearpopulationestimatesfor2000,andreplacestheprevious1998basedprojections.Theresultsoftheprojectionsbecomemoreuncertainthefurtheraheadtheyareprojected.Thereforetheresultsconcentrateontheperiodupto2025,thoughlonger-termprojectionsto2040areavailable. 　　TheRegistrarGeneralwillpublishsub-nationalpopulationprojectionsforcouncilandhealthboardareasinScotlandconsistentwiththenationalprojectionsearlyin2002.