DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION IN ASIA

Demographic transition has been occurring at varying paces in different regions of Asia and is
characterized by a rise in the working-age population. The demographic profiles vary widely and are
divided into three regions: South Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia.
Regional population shares (%) Source: Athar Hussain, Robert Cassen and Tim Dyson, 2006
Demographic transition started in the second half of the twentieth century with declining mortality
rates with fertility remaining. This led to increase in population growth rate until fertility started
declining. During 1950-1955, the rate of population growth in Asia was 2% per annum and increased
to 2.5% in 1965-1970. After fertility decline started, the population growth rate started decreasing and
is currently reduced to 1 % per annum (Bhakta B. Gubhaju, 2013).
Between, 1960 and 1990, fertility declined in all regions with East Asia being the most evident and
South Asia being least evident. Asia as a whole had its fertility rate decline from 5.8 birth per woman
in 1950-1955 to 4 in 1975-1980 and 2.3 in 2005-2010.
The life expectancy in Asia is around 72 years on an average with 76 in East Asia, 71 in South-East
Asia and 68 in South Asia.
The growth in working age population with fewer dependants provides a window of opportunity
called the demographic dividend. The working age population peaked in East Asia at 72% in 2010
and will peak in South-East Asia in 2025 and around 2040 in South-Asia (Bhakta B. Gubhaju, 2013).
In the coming years, there will be a slowdown in growth of working-age population with it being
negative in case of Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Sri Lanka. The ratio of working age to nonworking
age population will peaked around 2010 and started declining. In South-East Asia the ratio
will peak in 2020 and in South-Asia 2040 (David E. Bloom and Jocelyn E. Finlay, 2009)