Fertility rate

The fertility rate is a demographic statistic that indicates the average number of children a woman would have if she lived to the end of her reproductive age (15 to 49 years) and had children according to the fertility rate for each age group. The fertility rate is directly related to the age of a country. A fertility rate of two children per woman is considered, in theory, as a population replacement rate, as it allows stability in the total population of a region or country. A fertility rate above 2.0 indicates that the population is growing. It can also indicate that there would be difficulties if the country did not produce the necessary resources for food and education, as well as job opportunities. On the other hand, a rate below 2.0 indicates that the population is declining and aging. This can indicate problems as the workforce is getting smaller and smaller, producing fewer resources for a high percentage of the retired population.