Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

1997

Abstract

Fertility transitions are now well underway in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and these countries are expected to reach replacement fertility within the next two decades. While high fertility still prevails in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal, these countries are also expected to complete their fertility transitions in the next three or four decades. Despite these encouraging trends in fertility, the populations of all countries in the region are expected to grow substantially, with increases ranging from 50 percent in Sri Lanka to 212 percent in Afghanistan. The long-range trajectory of population growth is very sensitive to minor deviations from the replacement level of fertility. This finding implies that even modest efforts to reduce fertility can have large long-range effects on population size. Available population policy options are discussed in this study.

DOI

10.31899/pgy1997.1005

Language

English

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