Birth Rate
Both the developing and developed worlds are concerned about declining birth rates (www.rand.org). Fertility rates are higher in low-income countries, but birth rates are lower due to high maternal and perinatal mortality. Children are needed in developing countries as a labor force and to care for their parents in their old age. Fertility rates are higher in these countries due to a lack of access to contraception and generally lower levels of female education.
Each country’s social structure, religious beliefs, economic prosperity, and urbanisation are likely to influence both birth and abortion rates. Developed countries have lower fertility rates due to lifestyle choices associated with economic affluence where mortality rates are low, birth control is easily accessible, and children frequently become an economic drain due to housing, education, and other costs associated with raising children. Women who pursue higher education and professional careers are more likely to have children later in life. This can lead to a demographic and economic paradox.
Birth rate and replacement rate
Both birth rate and fertility rate are useful in determining a country’s replacement rate, which compares the rates of births and deaths to determine whether the population is growing or shrinking overall. This metric is important because rapid population growth or decline can put a strain on a country’s systems, including its economy, infrastructure, and social programmes.
Because of the global decline in birth rates, some countries are concerned that their current birth rate will not be enough to replace the older generation, resulting in a population decline. A slowed economy, which can lead to the closure of businesses ranging from restaurants to public transportation to schools to medical facilities, is one of the problems associated with population decline. To alleviate these concerns, some governments provide financial incentives to citizens who wish to have children. Low birth rates are attributed to the high costs of raising a child, people preferring to advance their careers over starting a family, and first-time mothers being older on average.
Some countries, on the other hand, are dealing with overpopulation and the problems that come with it, such as overcrowding, poverty, an overburdened health-care system, low life expectancy, and low educational levels. In such cases, a country’s government may provide incentives for people to have only one child.
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Birth Rate
- Niger – 47.28
- Angola – 42.22
- Mali – 41.60 (tie)
- Uganda – 41.60 (tie)
- Benin – 41.55
- Chad – 41.05
- Congo (Dem Rep of) – 40.53
- South Sudan – 38.26
- Somalia – 38.25
- Mozambique – 38.03
Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Birth Rate
- Monaco – 6.63
- South Korea – 6.89
- Andorra – 6.91
- Japan – 7.00
- Taiwan (limited recognition) – 7.43
- Greece – 7.72
- Puerto Rico – 7.90
- Portugal – 8.02
- Spain – 8.05
- Bulgaria – 8.15
Birth rate highs and lows
Nigeria has the highest birth rate in the world, with 47.28 average annual births per 1,000 people per year, according to the CIA World Factbook. Angola’s birth rate has dropped significantly since 2000, when it was 46.89. It is worth noting that data from other sources, such as the United Nations or World Bank, rank countries in a slightly different order (see below), but in every case, central Africa is the fastest-growing region in the world, and Nigeria has the fastest-growing population.
On the other end of the spectrum, the CIA estimates that Monaco has the world’s lowest birth rate, with 6.63 average annual births per 1,000 people per year. In comparison, the United Nations ranks Puerto Rico (6) and South Korea (6) as having the lowest birth rates in the world, while the World Bank ranks Puerto Rico (6.4) and San Marino (6.7) as having the highest. The United States ranks near the bottom of all three rankings, with averages ranging from 11.4 to 12.33.
Crude Birth Rate
The crude birth rate is the number of births per 1,000 people per year. This is a common method of calculating fertility for a given population. The crude birth rate is used by statisticians in population geography and demography because it is a useful indicator in population studies around the world. The crude birth rate may be of concern for specific countries experiencing population declines or for national governments concerned about population growth rates that are greater than their country’s capacity to sustain.
The crude birth rate (CBR) is calculated by dividing the number of live births ( b ) in a year by the total midyear population ( p ), then multiplying the ratio by 1,000 to get the number of births per 1,000 people.
The crude birth rate is calculated as follows:
Conclusion
The birth rate is the number of people born in a population in a given period of time. The number of people born per year per 1000 in the population is referred to as the human birth rate. For example, if 35 births occur per 1000 people per year, the birth rate is 35. When the birth rate is expressed per age group, it is referred to as the standardised birth rate, as opposed to the total population’s crude birth rate. ). Fertility rates are higher in low-income countries, but birth rates are lower due to high maternal and perinatal mortality. Children are needed in developing countries as a labor force and to care for their parents in their old age. . Women who pursue higher education and professional careers are more likely to have children later in life. This can lead to a demographic and economic paradox. Nigeria has the highest birth rate in the world, with 47.28 average annual births per 1,000 people per year, according to the CIA World Factbook. The crude birth rate is the number of births per 1,000 people per year. This is a common method of calculating fertility for a given population. The crude birth rate is used by statisticians in population geography and demography because it is a useful indicator in population studies around the world.