POPULATION

GEOGRAPHY-6
 Fertility
Fertility is one of the main aspect of
population study and is therefore considered
the main determinant of population growth
and distribution
 Difference between Fertility and
Fecundity
Fertility: Fertility denotes to the actual reproductive
performance of a woman or group of women in a population.
The number of children ever born alive is taken to assess the
fertility within a population. So we must have to distinguish
between alive and still births.
Fecundity: refers to the reproductive capacity or the ability to
have children.

(Clark, 1972)
Factors Affecting Fertility Rate

Biological & Social- Cultural

Demographic Determinants
Determinants
Fertility

Economic
Determinants

(Week, 2005)
 Biological & Demogrphics Determinants
 Biological & demographic determinants
 Reproductive age of women ranges from 15-44 years or from 15-49 years.
 Mortality rate and infant mortality
 Birth duration
 Social Determinants
 Social determinants
◦ The social norms and acceptance of practices affecting
fertility.
◦ Differ from society to society.
◦ Literacy level of women
◦ Marriage:
 Particularly the average age of marriage.
 The percentage of people never married varies spatially and
affects fertility rates.
 Late marriage age generally involves less children.
◦ Contraception:
 Availability of contraceptive measures and social attitudes toward
their use affect fertility rates.
 Sharp differences exist between MEDCs and LEDCs.
 Economic Determinants
◦ The role of children, or their “value” affects fertility.
◦ Inverse relationships:
 Fertility and income per capita and standard of living.
 Fertility and urbanization.
◦ Traditional rural societies:
 Children still play an important economic role and contribute to
family wealth,
 Fertility is likely to remain higher.
◦ Industrial and post-industrial societies:
 Costs tend to increase with the development level of the society.
Deflate the fertility rate since parents must consider the direct
and opportunity costs of bearing additional children.
 Indices of Fertility
 Crude Birth Rate (CBR)
 Age specific fertility rate (ASFR)
 Total fertility rate (TFR)
 Child women ratio (CWR)
 Crude Birth Rate

Births in the period 0 to T

CBR =
(mid-year population)

 The CBR is often multiplied by 1,000 and

expressed per 1,000 in the population
 Age-Specific Fertility Rates

Births in the period 0 to T to women aged x tox+n

ASFR =
Total Number of Females of that age in reference year

Number of
Age Women Births ASFR
15-19 100,000 20,000 0.200
20-24 120,000 40,000 0.333
25-29 90,000 50,000 0.556
30-34 100,000 20,000 0.200
35-39 80,000 8,000 0.100
40-45 95,000 1,000 0.011
 Total Fertility Rate
 Sum of all age specific fertility rates

ASFR
0.200
0.333
0.556
0.200
0.100
0.011

1.399
x 5 yrs
TFR=6.997
 Child Women Ratio

Number of children under five

CWR =
Number of women 15-49

 The CWR is often multiplied by 1,00 and

expressed per 1,00 in the population
Word Fertility Rate (2020)
World Fertility Rate
Factors affecting fertility
and mortality

What factors can you think of?

Factors affecting Fertility (birth rates)
Factors affecting Fertility (birth rates)

1) Religion & culture

◦ Some religions promote large families. Also
some cultures a big family is a sign of status.
2) Economic value of children
◦ Some countries schooling not compulsory &
children work in homes. Can work from 3yrs
old. No state pensions so rely on children for
financial security in old age.
3) Age Structure
◦ Raised when there is a high proportion of
people in the reproductive age (e.g. migrants)
Factors affecting Fertility (birth rates)
cont.
4) Education about Contraception
◦ Awareness of birth control and benefits of fewer
children
5) Access to Contraception
◦ Now many countries providing family planning
services. Nigeria can be 3 hours to nearest clinic,
situation in Pakistan is also not good
6) Status of women
◦ Some societies see a woman's duty to bear
children and are considered worthless until they
fulfil their role!
Factors affecting Fertility (birth rates)
cont.
7) Education of women
◦ In MEDC’s women who are educated tend to pursue a
career first and a family life second. The situation is
otherwise in few LEDCs.
8) Political policies
◦ Government can introduce pro natalist policies to try
to increase the population. Take the example of
Balochistan where “Bachy Char He Aachy” is going to
be the slogan to increase the population of the
province.