Fertility decline below replacement fertility in Asian countries

Abstract

Fertility has been declining very rast most countries orthe world over tbe past 40 years, and it continues to decline almost everywhere. As a result, rertility has reached quite unexpectedly low levels in many countries. Currently, about halr or tbe world's population is living in countries witb rertility at, or below replacement levels. The paper concentrates on tbe present rertility decline in some Asian countries, because it has largely c1Íaracterized the Asian population transition over the later part or tbe last century. Beginning witb tbe initiation or Japan's transition in the 1930s, rertility declines in other Asian countries soon rollowed, with levels in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore beginning to rall by the 1960s. The latter part orthe 1960s and the 1970s heralded the beginning or transitions in the major Chinese and Soutb Korean cities, as well as the Chinese populations in Southeast Asia.