according to figures published this week.

The total population of the country tumbled from 59,588 to 59,549 according to the Bermuda Digest of Statistics 1993.

Blacks still dominate, representing 61 percent of the population, with foreign born residents numbering 15,823. Thirty percent of foreign-born residents are from the United Kingdom.

Females, numbering 30,413, still hold the majority over men, at 28,911, a situation which has existed since 1911.

No major increase in the total number of annual births has been recorded over the past decade. Out of 901 births in 1991, 333 were out of wedlock, a number which has continued to increase since the early 1980s.

A total of 1,741 people were married in 1991, 680 of whom had been married before. More than 40 people over 60 were married, while 871 under-21s were wed during the year.

There were 195 divorces, 24 percent of the couples having been married less than five years. A total of 14 marriages finally ran aground after 25 years.

Just under half the divorces were granted on grounds of unreasonable behaviour with around 18 failing because of adultery.

The number of deaths increased slightly in the 1990s. However, more people appear to be living to greater ages on the Island with 91 dying after their 85th birthdays in 1991.

Heart attacks and other circulatory diseases still account for most deaths in Bermuda even though years of health campaigning had been expected to cut those figures.

In the years 1991 and 1992, a total of 238 people died from cancer, the Island's second biggest killer.

Despite warnings, sexually transmitted diseases rose in 1991 but there was a slight fall in 1992. Reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases were dominated by females in the '90s.

Over the last two years a greater percentage of women have contracted this type of disease compared to the mid-'80s when three-quarters of patients at the STD clinic were male.

The Digest also reports on crime, showing that in 1991 there was a first real fall in the crime rate since 1984. True reports of crime decreased by around eight percent in 1991, and continued to fall in 1992. But 1991 convictions fell by 20 percent.

Serious offences, including murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and wounding increased in both 1991 and 1992. Sexual offences also rose in 1992.

A total of 256 people were imprisoned by the courts in 1991 and another 184 in 1992.

While the hotels and service industry continues to be the main source of employment on the Island there has been a slight decrease in numbers.

Registered unemployed people finally passed the 100 mark in January, 1991 and by the same time in 1992 the figure had swollen to 177. In May that year it rocketed to 403, but by June had slipped back to 87.

Wages increased steadily from 1986 to 1992 and compare favourably to inflation with many prices of products actually falling over the period. But there were some major increases -- liquor and tobacco prices, for example, having almost doubled over that time.

Despite the recession Bermudians continued to buy cars and in 1992 there were 44,606 registered road vehicles. Of these 19,712 were private cars an increase of 4,594, or 30 percent, on 1982. The number of auxiliary cycles and motor cycles on Bermuda's roads fell over the decade. Sixty percent of all road accidents and five of the six fatal crashes in 1992 involved motorcycles.

Total rainfall in 1992 passed 55 inches, 10 inches more than in each of the previous three years. Days of rain totalled 219 -- the worst year of the decade by 30 days.

The Bermuda Digest of Statistics 1993, available for $10 from the Government Statistical Department, covers a wide range of subjects like population, the weather, law and order and wages.