As of 2021, South Korea is the country with the world's lowest total fertility rate at 0.81. The TFR of the capital Seoul was 0.63 in 2021.
The total fertility rate, a measure that gives the average number of children an Australian woman would have during her lifetime should she experience the age-specific fertility rates present at the time was 1.7 births per woman in 2021. This was up from the 1.59 for 2020, the lowest total fertility rate ever reported.
Fertility rates in Asia
South Korea has the lowest fertility rate globally at 0.9 children per woman, closely followed by Puerto Rico at 1.0 and a trio of Malta, Singapore, and the Chinese Special Administrative Region Hong Kong all at 1.1 children per woman.
Causes of low fertility
South Korea is facing a decline in childbirth because many young people are distancing themselves from marriage and having children due to the lack of decent job opportunities, high home prices, and heavy private education fees.
With a fertility rate of almost 7 children per woman, Niger is the country with the highest fertility rate in the world followed by Mali. The total population of Niger is growing at a fast pace.
The current birth rate for Australia in 2023 is 12.085 births per 1000 people, a 1.3% decline from 2022. The birth rate for Australia in 2022 was 12.244 births per 1000 people, a 1.28% decline from 2021. The birth rate for Australia in 2021 was 12.403 births per 1000 people, a 1.26% decline from 2020.
There are several countries around the world that are at or near ZPG, including Iceland, Germany, Portugal, and Poland.
Many younger Japanese have balked at marrying or having families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, corporate cultures that are incompatible with both parents — but especially women — working, and a lack of public tolerance for small children. Many couples also hesitate to have children due to rising costs.
The declining social and cultural values are a major factor in Japan's low birth rate. Family, marriage, and having kids were very important in traditional Japanese society. The emphasis has changed recently, though, moving more towards independence and individualism.
China is facing a population crisis in part due to more women choosing to focus on their careers and personal goals, instead of starting a family. Already grappling with an aging population and poised to be overtaken by India as the world's most populous country, China continues to struggle to boost its birth rate.
Growing urbanization is another key driver of declining birth rates, characterized by smaller living spaces, increased focus on careers, and limited support networks. Another is the growing access to family planning services and contraceptives, particularly since the 1970s.
According to Statistics Finland, this decline is due to families opting not to have a second or third child. Finnish researchers say the declining fertility rate is related to cultural and social changes leading to higher standards for starting a family.
The most fertile soils on Earth are the so-called black soils or chernozems. These are found in some areas in North America, Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia. It took several millennia and a specific climate and steppe vegetation for them to form.
It's no secret that Australians are having fewer children. The latest ABS statistics reveal our fertility rate was 1.7 – well below the so-called replacement rate needed to keep the population growing. The last time our fertility rate was this low we started literally paying people to have babies.
Fertility rates in Australia and around the world
Dr Allen says the decline in the average number of children per woman is a result of increased education and paid employment for women. Women are starting families later and consequently having fewer children, and more people are choosing to be child-free.
“Australia's population was at a near standstill through the September quarter of 2021, growing by under 0.1 per cent (12,100 people) to 25.8 million, an annual increase of 68,900 people,” Ms Cho said.
The birth rate in Italy has been declining steadily since the economic crisis in 2008, for reasons demographers agree is rooted in economic insecurity. The average monthly income across Italy is €2,475 a month, according to ISTAT.
A two-child policy is a government-imposed limit of two children allowed per family or the payment of government subsidies only to the first two children.
Busy urban lifestyles and long working hours leave little time for some Japanese to start families, and the rising costs of living that mean having a baby is simply too expensive for many young people.
Japanese life expectancy
This low mortality is mainly attributable to a low rate of obesity, low consumption of red meat, and high consumption of fish and plant foods such as soybeans and tea. In Japan, the obesity rate is low (4.8% for men and 3.7% for women).
Experts have attributed the trend to several factors, including a growing desire among young working women to enjoy the freedoms that come with being single and having a career.
In Japan, in cases that don't include medical practices such as cesarean sections, one needs to bear the full expenses of giving birth because public insurance doesn't apply. Alternatively, the government introduced “the Childbirth Lump-Sum” to reduce the financial burden required for birth.
825 is the population of Vatican City.
Population growth could grind to a halt by 2050, before decreasing to as little as 6 billion humans on Earth in 2100, a new analysis of birth trends has revealed.