Today, globally, women of childbearing age have an average of approximately 2.2 children over the course of their lifetime. In pre-industrial times, most women could expect to have somewhere between five and ten live births throughout their lifetime; however, the demographic transition then sees fertility rates fall significantly. Looking ahead, it is believed that the global fertility rate will fall below replacement level in the 2050s, which will eventually lead to population decline when life expectancy plateaus. Recent decades Between the 1950s and 1970s, the global fertility rate was roughly five children per woman - this was partly due to the post-WWII baby boom in many countries, on top of already-high rates in less-developed countries. The drop around 1960 can be attributed to China's "Great Leap Forward", where famine and disease in the world's most populous country saw the global fertility rate drop by roughly 0.5 children per woman. Between the 1970s and today, fertility rates fell consistently, although the rate of decline noticeably slowed as the baby boomer generation then began having their own children. Replacement level fertility Replacement level fertility, i.e. the number of children born per woman that a population needs for long-term stability, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. Populations may continue to grow naturally despite below-replacement level fertility, due to reduced mortality and increased life expectancy, however, these will plateau with time and then population decline will occur. It is believed that the global fertility rate will drop below replacement level in the mid-2050s, although improvements in healthcare and living standards will see population growth continue into the 2080s when the global population will then start falling.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Madagascar MG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 4.184 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.241 Ratio for 2015. Madagascar MG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 6.237 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.308 Ratio in 1965 and a record low of 4.184 Ratio in 2016. Madagascar MG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Madagascar – Table MG.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Population: Birth Rate: Liaoning data was reported at 0.406 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.408 % for 2022. Population: Birth Rate: Liaoning data is updated yearly, averaging 0.664 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.630 % in 1990 and a record low of 0.406 % in 2023. Population: Birth Rate: Liaoning data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Birth Rate: By Region.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
United States US: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 12.400 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 12.400 Ratio for 2015. United States US: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 15.100 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.700 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 12.400 Ratio in 2016. United States US: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
United States Birth Rate: White data was reported at 9.500 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.700 % for 2021. United States Birth Rate: White data is updated yearly, averaging 13.700 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2022, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.800 % in 1990 and a record low of 9.400 % in 2020. United States Birth Rate: White data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab data was reported at 14.300 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.500 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab data is updated yearly, averaging 17.000 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.400 NA in 1998 and a record low of 14.300 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Switzerland Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.540 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.540 Ratio for 2015. Switzerland Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 1.530 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.660 Ratio in 1964 and a record low of 1.380 Ratio in 2001. Switzerland Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Switzerland – Table CH.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 11.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.900 Ratio for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 12.900 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.800 Ratio in 1964 and a record low of 11.300 Ratio in 2002. United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Monaco MC: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 5.900 Ratio in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.800 Ratio for 2016. Monaco MC: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 7.950 Ratio from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2018, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.000 Ratio in 2004 and a record low of 5.900 Ratio in 2018. Monaco MC: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Monaco – Table MC.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).;Weighted average;
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Context
The dataset tabulates the data for the Country Club Hills, MO population pyramid, which represents the Country Club Hills population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.
Key observations
When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
Age groups:
Variables / Data Columns
Good to know
Margin of Error
Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.
Custom data
If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.
Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.
This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Country Club Hills Population by Age. You can refer the same here
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Birth Rate: 30 to 34: Asian data was reported at 104.000 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 105.000 % for 2021. Birth Rate: 30 to 34: Asian data is updated yearly, averaging 111.200 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2022, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 127.400 % in 2016 and a record low of 92.600 % in 1986. Birth Rate: 30 to 34: Asian data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bengal data was reported at 14.600 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.900 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bengal data is updated yearly, averaging 17.200 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.300 NA in 1998 and a record low of 14.600 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bengal data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Germany DE: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 8.800 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.600 Ratio for 2021. Germany DE: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 10.000 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2022, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.100 Ratio in 1963 and a record low of 8.100 Ratio in 2009. Germany DE: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).;Weighted average;
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Context
The dataset tabulates the population of Town And Country by gender across 18 age groups. It lists the male and female population in each age group along with the gender ratio for Town And Country. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Town And Country by gender and age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group for both Men and Women in Town And Country. Additionally, it can be used to see how the gender ratio changes from birth to senior most age group and male to female ratio across each age group for Town And Country.
Key observations
Largest age group (population): Male # 10-14 years (564) | Female # 45-49 years (534). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates.
When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates.
Age groups:
Scope of gender :
Please note that American Community Survey asks a question about the respondents current sex, but not about gender, sexual orientation, or sex at birth. The question is intended to capture data for biological sex, not gender. Respondents are supposed to respond with the answer as either of Male or Female. Our research and this dataset mirrors the data reported as Male and Female for gender distribution analysis.
Variables / Data Columns
Good to know
Margin of Error
Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.
Custom data
If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.
Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.
This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Town And Country Population by Gender. You can refer the same here
The proportion of births attended by skilled healthcare personnel is sourced from the United Nations Statistics website under data related to Sustainable Development Goals. This data is related to Goal 3, “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”, and falls under target 3.1, “By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.” Gathering data regarding the proportion of births attended by skilled healthcare personnel can help to achieve these goals by identifying where there are care gaps and what conditions are risk factors for an increased rate of maternal mortality. National-level household surveys are the main data sources used to collect data for skilled health personnel. These surveys include Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Reproductive Health Surveys (RHS) and other national surveys based on similar methodologies. Surveys are undertaken every 3 to 5 years. Data sources also include routine service statistics Population-based surveys is the preferred data source in countries with a low utilization of childbirth services, where private sector data are excluded from routine data collection, and/or with weak health information systems. These surveys include Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Reproductive Health Surveys (RHS) and other national surveys based on similar methodologies. In MICS, DHS and similar surveys, the respondent is asked about the last live birth and who helped during delivery for a period up to five years before the interview. The surveys are generally undertaken every 3 to 5 years. Routine service/facility records is a more common data source in countries where a high proportion of births occur in health facilities and are therefore recorded. These data can be used to track the indicator on an annual basis.This data set is just one of the many datasets on the Global Midwives Hub, a digital resource with open data, maps, and mapping applications (among other things), to support advocacy for improved maternal and newborn services, supported by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), UNFPA, WHO, and Direct Relief.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana data was reported at 16.400 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.700 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana data is updated yearly, averaging 17.200 NA from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2020, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.000 NA in 2014 and a record low of 16.400 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.
CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedicationhttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
License information was derived automatically
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on the number of live births by the mother's country of birth in England and Wales each year. Every time a birth is registered in England and Wales both parents are required to state their places of birth on their child's birth certificate, and this information is then collated to produce these statistics. In order to make it easier to look at what these data tell us about births in London, and how these have been changing over time, the GLA Demography team has extracted the data which relate to London from the main ONS dataset since 2001 and presented it here in an easily accessible format. For more information about how the ONS produces these statistics, please visit their website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths For more information about how we extracted these data and created this report, please this project's Github repository: https://github.com/Greater-London-Authority/births_by_mothers_country_of_birth Since 2001, the number of live births being recorded in London has changed from 104,162 to 104,246 births per year. The proportion of births which were to mothers who had been born outside the UK has changed from 43% in 2001 to 59% in the most recent year (2023). In 2023, the region of origin which supplied the largest number of births to non-UK-born mothers in London was Asia with 24,004, followed by the Africa which provided 10,596. The region of origin which has seen the largest change since 2001 is the Asia, which went from 13,489 live births per year in 2001 to 24,004 in 2023.
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Context
The dataset tabulates the population of Hill Country Village by gender across 18 age groups. It lists the male and female population in each age group along with the gender ratio for Hill Country Village. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Hill Country Village by gender and age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group for both Men and Women in Hill Country Village. Additionally, it can be used to see how the gender ratio changes from birth to senior most age group and male to female ratio across each age group for Hill Country Village.
Key observations
Largest age group (population): Male # 30-34 years (52) | Female # 30-34 years (47). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
Age groups:
Scope of gender :
Please note that American Community Survey asks a question about the respondents current sex, but not about gender, sexual orientation, or sex at birth. The question is intended to capture data for biological sex, not gender. Respondents are supposed to respond with the answer as either of Male or Female. Our research and this dataset mirrors the data reported as Male and Female for gender distribution analysis.
Variables / Data Columns
Good to know
Margin of Error
Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.
Custom data
If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.
Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.
This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Hill Country Village Population by Gender. You can refer the same here
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Context
The dataset tabulates the data for the Hill Country Village, TX population pyramid, which represents the Hill Country Village population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.
Key observations
When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
Age groups:
Variables / Data Columns
Good to know
Margin of Error
Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.
Custom data
If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.
Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.
This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Hill Country Village Population by Age. You can refer the same here
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License information was derived automatically
Context
The dataset tabulates the data for the Brazos Country, TX population pyramid, which represents the Brazos Country population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.
Key observations
When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
Age groups:
Variables / Data Columns
Good to know
Margin of Error
Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.
Custom data
If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.
Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.
This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Brazos Country Population by Age. You can refer the same here
Today, globally, women of childbearing age have an average of approximately 2.2 children over the course of their lifetime. In pre-industrial times, most women could expect to have somewhere between five and ten live births throughout their lifetime; however, the demographic transition then sees fertility rates fall significantly. Looking ahead, it is believed that the global fertility rate will fall below replacement level in the 2050s, which will eventually lead to population decline when life expectancy plateaus. Recent decades Between the 1950s and 1970s, the global fertility rate was roughly five children per woman - this was partly due to the post-WWII baby boom in many countries, on top of already-high rates in less-developed countries. The drop around 1960 can be attributed to China's "Great Leap Forward", where famine and disease in the world's most populous country saw the global fertility rate drop by roughly 0.5 children per woman. Between the 1970s and today, fertility rates fell consistently, although the rate of decline noticeably slowed as the baby boomer generation then began having their own children. Replacement level fertility Replacement level fertility, i.e. the number of children born per woman that a population needs for long-term stability, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. Populations may continue to grow naturally despite below-replacement level fertility, due to reduced mortality and increased life expectancy, however, these will plateau with time and then population decline will occur. It is believed that the global fertility rate will drop below replacement level in the mid-2050s, although improvements in healthcare and living standards will see population growth continue into the 2080s when the global population will then start falling.