A combination of institutional, structural, and cultural factors also contribute to South Korea's ultra-low fertility, including labor market inequality and uncertainty, a family-unfriendly work culture, the high cost of raising children in a competitive educational system, and gender-essentialist family organization.
The combination of economic insecurity, social pressures, evolving gender roles, and inadequate support systems all contribute to the persistent decline in South Korea's birth rate.
Taiwan's fertility rate is estimated at 1.11 children per woman, the lowest in the world. 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico (U.S.) Europe leads the ranking with eight countries, followed by Asia with six, North America with five, and Africa with one.
Explanations for the substantial decline in rates of marriage in East Asian countries often emphasize the role of rapid educational expansion for women in reducing the desirability of marriages characterized by a strong gender-based division of labor.
Why Are Birth Rates So Low? In Japan, the reluctance to marry or have children has most likely arisen, at least in part, from shrinking employment opportunities for young men. In 1960, 97 percent of men age 25–29 were employed, but by 2010 this number had dropped to 86 percent.
In addition to financial challenges, Yi said China's persistently low birth rate is also the result of less willingness to have children and the growing prevalence of infertility among Chinese women, in part due to trying to have a child later in life, according to researchers.
Japan's universal health-care system means that it is a very safe country in which to give birth. Perinatal outcomes in Japan are excellent, with low infant mortality and neonatal mortality.
South Korea's unprecedented fertility decline is an extreme manifestation of social problems that many societies share, including employment insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions for younger generations.
Divorce rate in South Korea 1994-2023
In 2023, the divorce rate in South Korea was 1.8 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants, similar to the previous year.
Some of the main reasons South Koreans choose to remain unmarried include concerns about raising children, high wedding expenses, and worries about their careers.
While countries including France and China have taken measures to try to encourage couples to have children, U.S. birth rates have been stifled by forces like lack of paid family leave and skyrocketing health costs.
Men born in Chad have the lowest life expectancy in the world as of 2024, reaching only 53 years. The lowest life expectancy for women in the world in 2024 was for girls born in Nigeria, with only 55 years. Except for Afghanistan, all the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world are in Africa.
The fertility rate in the United States in 2023 was 54.5 per 1,000 women ages 15-44. Of all live births in the United States during 2021-2023 (average), 25.3% were Hispanic, 50.5% were White, 13.9% were Black, 0.7% were American Indian/Alaska Native and 6.2% were Asian/Pacific Islander.
On 1 January 2021, South Korea decriminalised abortion, overturning laws that had penalised women and medical practitioners since 1953. Despite this milestone, universal access to safe abortion services remains elusive.
How Many Times Can a Woman Give Birth? One study estimated a woman can have around 15 pregnancies in a lifetime, which is very uncommon today. [3] There is no established “unsafe” number of pregnancies; however, there are some loose guidelines around c-section births due to associated risks.
In its public pronouncements, Pyongyang has called for accelerated population growth and encouraged large families. According to one Korean American scholar who visited North Korea in the early 1980s, the country has no birth control policies; parents are encouraged to have as many as six children.
According to a survey conducted in South Korea in December 2022, about 57.6 percent of South Koreans answered that sex before marriage is acceptable. South Koreans' acceptance of premarital sex has continued to increase since 1996, showing openness towards sex.
The archipelagic paradise is world renowned for its tropical beaches and a diverse marine ecosystem, but seldom associated with divorce. Not only did the Maldives have the highest divorce rate in the world in 2021, but it also has the highest divorce rate of any country of time in history.
Marriage is a sacred institution in Asian communities and divorce the eighth deadly sin. Women have it particularly hard — seen as failing not only their partners and children, but also their extended families and reputations. The impenetrable patriarchy hurls most blame on the wife as their domain is the home.
In 2022, the average age of mothers giving birth to their first child in South Korea was 32.84 years.
All figures are estimates. In 2024, the fertility rate in Taiwan was estimated to be at 1.11 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. The fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman of child-bearing age in a country.
South Korea has also demonstrated a measurable shift from son preference to daughter preference. Daughter preference appears at measurable levels in three Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Even if a foreigner gives birth in Japan, if they are not married to a Japanese person, their child will not receive Japanese citizenship. If the foreign mother of the child reports the birth to the government office of their country in Japan, then that child can receive the mother's citizenship.
Japan is known for its healthy diet and universal healthcare system. Japanese children have a long life expectancy and low rates of childhood obesity. Iceland has a strong social safety net and a commitment to healthy living. Icelandic children have high rates of vaccination and low rates of infant mortality.
Japanese parents inspire their children from infancy to try to enjoy a wide variety of different healthy foods, including many different fruits and vegetables, she said. Kids often eat meals together with their family as a regular ritual.