Does a worldwide fertility crisis exist? Will humanity cease reproduction? Will your family name die off? Here is a look at the shocking 2021 global fertility rate!
2021 Global Fertility Rate
Statista’s Katharina Buchholz reports that the global fertility rate is declining from 5.3 children in 1963 to 2.3 children per woman in 2021.
African countries have the highest fertility rate of the seven continents. Africa averages 3 to 4 or more children per woman.
In 2021, the country with the highest global fertility rate was Niger in West Africa. Niger had an average of 6.8 children per woman, according to the World Bank.
Western countries, including China, Japan, and parts of South America, had an average of 1 to 1.9 children per woman.
Source: Statista
Longer Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy in 1951 was 68.
The current life expectancy is now 79.
The United Nations expects the average life expectancy to reach 88 by 2100.
Lower Childhood Mortality
The childhood mortality rate has declined. There are fewer childhood deaths today than in the 1800s and the 1950s.
According to Our World in Data, “Child mortality continued to fall across Europe, North America, and Australasia; around 1-in-200 children died before their 5th birthday in 2015.”
Higher living standards, clean water, sanitation, nutrition, and better healthcare and medical knowledge have resulted in declining childhood deaths.
Can Humanity Achieve Replacement Level?
The global fertility rate is in a perilous position. Statista’s chart indicates that Western countries have below-replacement-level fertility.
According to the United Nations, “The replacement level of fertility is close to 2.1 live births per woman in populations with a normal sex ratio at birth (around 105 baby boys per 100 baby girls) and relatively low levels of mortality.”
From Mothers To Career Women
The population decline in Western countries is due to women delaying having children. Women no longer need to become mothers. Women no longer need to receive their value from having children and being a mother.
Women are free to pursue higher education and join the workforce. Today, women can have successful careers. Instead of being mothers, they can be career-oriented women.
What Does This Mean For You?
Will You Ever Have Children?
People are delaying or choosing never to marry. The consequence is a decrease in the number of women having children. People are staying single for longer.
Will You Ever See Grandchildren?
If the global fertility rate continues to fall and people choose not to reproduce, you may never see grandchildren.
The consequence of this trend is the loss of entire family names.
Will Eastern Countries Dominate The West?
Western countries could experience severe economic and social consequences. Their populations are failing to replace themselves. The result is that these countries will fare poorly. They will lack a strong labor force and low demographics to pay into programs like Social Security.
Countries with higher fertility rates could grow more influential as power shifts from the West to the East.
Summary
People are living longer. Women have fewer children. Western countries are failing to replace their populations. The fertility crisis signals the end of humanity!
Is the end nigh for countries with below-replacement-level fertility rates? Let me know in the comments below!
