Which Countries Have Declining Populations & What Can They Do About It? - TLDR News

Summary

The TLDR Global video explores the alarming trend of declining fertility rates and falling populations in various countries. Highlighting that 21 nations experienced population decreases from 2015 to 2020, it discusses factors like urbanization, women's education, and religious beliefs influencing birth rates. As fertility rates drop below the replacement level, countries face economic challenges with aging populations. The video examines solutions such as pro-natalist policies and immigration, particularly noting Canada’s success in using immigration to maintain population levels compared to countries like China, which faces significant demographic issues due to past policies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Countries with declining populations include Italy, Japan, Poland, and Puerto Rico, with varying rates of decrease.
• 😀 Fertility rates in developed countries have dropped below the replacement rate of 2.1, with nations like the US and UK at around 1.7, and Japan and South Korea even lower.
• 😀 Urbanization, women's education, and religion are key factors influencing fertility rates, with urban areas, higher education, and lower religious adherence leading to fewer births.
• 😀 Countries experiencing rapid secularization, like Spain and Ireland, have seen dramatic declines in fertility rates.
• 😀 Declining fertility leads to an aging population, with fewer working-age people relative to pensioners, straining public services and taxes.
• 😀 The global old-age dependency ratio is expected to shrink from 6.3 today to 2.4 by 2100, indicating a shrinking workforce to support the elderly.
• 😀 Pro-natalist policies, such as paid child leave and child benefits, have been implemented in some countries but often fail to significantly boost fertility rates.
• 😀 Immigration can help offset population decline by bringing in younger workers, with countries like Canada successfully using immigration to maintain a stable population size.
• 😀 China faces a major demographic problem due to its one-child policy, with a gender imbalance and declining fertility rate, making it challenging to support an aging population.
• 😀 The video concludes by asking viewers to comment on their own country’s population trends and potential solutions, inviting debate on encouraging births versus accepting more immigrants.

Q & A

What are the main factors leading to declining fertility rates globally?

The three main factors are urbanization, women's education and gender equality, and the influence of religion. As countries develop, urbanization reduces the economic necessity of children, education and equality empower women to prioritize careers over childbearing, and more secular societies tend to have lower birth rates.

Which countries experienced population decline from 2015 to 2020?

According to UN data, countries with declining populations include Italy, Albania, Poland, Georgia, Moldova, Andorra, Japan, Hungary, Serbia, Portugal, Greece, Ukraine, Syria, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Venezuela, Latvia, Lithuania, and Puerto Rico.

What is the significance of a fertility rate of 2.1?

A fertility rate of 2.1 is considered the replacement level, meaning it is the number of births needed to maintain a stable population size without immigration or increases in life expectancy.

How do fertility rates compare in developed nations versus developing nations?

In many developed nations, fertility rates have fallen below 2.1, with countries like Japan (1.4), Singapore (1.1), and South Korea (1.0) having particularly low rates, while many developing countries still have higher fertility rates.

What demographic issues arise from low fertility rates?

Low fertility rates lead to an aging population, resulting in a higher old-age dependency ratio, where fewer working-age individuals support a growing number of retirees, which can strain public services and the economy.

What measures are countries taking to counter declining birth rates?

Countries are implementing pro-natalist policies such as paid parental leave, child benefits, and other tax incentives to encourage families to have more children.

How effective are pro-natalist policies in increasing fertility rates?

While some countries like Sweden have extensive family-friendly policies, these measures often result in only modest increases in fertility rates, as societal norms shift towards smaller families.

What role does immigration play in maintaining population levels?

Immigration can help offset declining birth rates by bringing in younger individuals, as seen in Canada, which accepts a significant number of immigrants annually, helping to maintain a more balanced age demographic.

What demographic challenges does China face due to its one-child policy?

China faces a shrinking workforce and an imbalanced gender ratio, with fewer women available for childbearing, resulting in significant demographic challenges as the population ages.

What are the projected trends for the old-age dependency ratio globally?

The global old-age dependency ratio is expected to fall from 6.3 today to 4.3 by 2050 and further to 2.4 by 2100, indicating fewer working-age individuals available to support each retiree.