Afghan Babies: Counting The Newborns In A Country Of High Fertility Rates

Afghanistan's birth rate has been declining in recent years. In 2024, the birth rate was 29.120 births per 1000 people, down from 30.950 in 2021. The crude birth rate in 2021 was 35.84 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, the lowest it has been in recent years. The total fertility rate in Afghanistan is also decreasing, with the rate in 2021 being the lowest recorded with 4.64 children per woman. The average woman in Afghanistan gives birth to five children in her lifetime, the highest fertility rate outside of Africa.

The birth rate in Afghanistan has been declining since 2020

Afghanistan's birth rate has been declining since 2020, with the current birth rate for 2024 at 29.120 births per 1000 people, a 1.89% decline from 2023. In 2023, the birth rate was recorded at 29.680 births per 1000 people, a 2.09% decline from 2022. The birth rate in 2022 was 30.315 births per 1000 people, a 2.05% decline from 2021. In 2021, the birth rate was 30.950 births per 1000 people, a 2.01% decline from 2020.

The declining birth rate in Afghanistan can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there has been a reduction in infant and child mortality, which has resulted in lower birth rates. Additionally, there is an increased use of contraceptives, with usage more than doubling since 2003. However, it is important to note that a significant proportion of Afghan couples still do not use any contraceptive methods.

The total fertility rate in Afghanistan, which is the average number of children a woman of reproductive age is expected to have, has also decreased since 2020. In 2021, the total fertility rate was 4.64 children per woman, a 0.1 child decrease from 2020. The fertility rate in Afghanistan is currently at 3.741 births per woman for 2024, a 2.86% decline from 2023.

Despite the declining birth rate and fertility rate, Afghanistan's population is expected to continue growing. The United Nations projects that Afghanistan's population will reach 64.68 million by 2050 and will eventually peak at 77.03 million in 2084 before slowly declining. The current population growth rate is 2.33% per year, and the country has a high fertility rate of 4.56 births per woman.

In 2021, the crude birth rate was 35.84 live births per 1,000 inhabitants

In 2021, the crude birth rate in Afghanistan was 35.84 live births per 1,000 inhabitants. This means that for every 1,000 people in Afghanistan, there were 35.84 live births. This rate is calculated by taking the number of live births in a given year and dividing it by the population, as estimated at midyear, multiplied by 1,000.

The crude birth rate is a useful metric for understanding population growth and change. By comparing it with the crude death rate, which is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population for a year, we can determine the rate of natural increase. The rate of natural increase is a key factor in understanding how a population changes over time, excluding the impact of migration.

In 2021, Afghanistan's crude birth rate reached its lowest point in the observation period. This decrease in the crude birth rate could be due to various factors, such as improved access to family planning, changing social norms around family size, or economic conditions. It is worth noting that the total fertility rate in Afghanistan, which is the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her reproductive years, also decreased in 2021 to 4.64 children per woman.

While the crude birth rate provides valuable insights into population dynamics, it is essential to consider other factors as well. For example, Afghanistan has a young population, with approximately 46% of its people under the age of 15. Additionally, the country has a high fertility rate, with the average woman giving birth to five children in her lifetime, which is the highest rate outside of Africa. These factors contribute to a growing population, with urban areas experiencing rapid growth due to the return of over 5 million expatriates.

The average woman in Afghanistan gives birth to five children in her lifetime

Afghanistan has a high fertility rate compared to the rest of the world. The current fertility rate for Afghanistan in 2024 is 3.741 births per woman, a decline from 2023 when it was 3.851 births per woman. In 2021, the total fertility rate in Afghanistan was 4.64 children per woman, a decrease of 0.1 children per woman from 2020. This is the lowest number recorded in the country. The fertility rate in Afghanistan has been falling gradually from 7.45 children per woman in 1971 to 4.18 children per woman in 2020.

The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years. It is based on current patterns in age-specific fertility and assumes that these patterns will remain constant throughout a woman's reproductive years. Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates similar to life expectancy.

The total fertility rate in Afghanistan in 2021 was 4.64 children per woman

Afghanistan's total fertility rate in 2021 was 4.64 children per woman, a decrease of 0.1 children per woman (or 2.11%) from 2020. This is the lowest number recorded in the country. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally 15-44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years.

Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates (like life expectancy) that apply to a hypothetical woman. Fertility rates assume that current patterns in age-specific fertility will remain constant throughout a woman's reproductive years.

The crude birth rate in Afghanistan in 2021 was 35.84 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, the lowest value of the observation period. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people.

Afghanistan's Central Statistics Organization (CSO) stated that the total number of Afghans living inside Afghanistan was about 26 million in 2011 and 29.2 million in 2017. The country's population is expected to reach 82 million by 2050.

The population of Afghanistan is around 41 million as of 2023

Afghanistan's population is expected to grow at a rate of 2.33% per year, with a positive natural increase as the number of births exceeds deaths. The country's population growth outpaces its economic development, creating challenges for stability and economic progress. The population density in Afghanistan is around 65 people per square kilometre, with a total land area of 652,860 square kilometres.

The society is predominantly Muslim, with up to 89.7% practising Sunni Islam and 10-15% following Shia Islam. The remaining 0.3% practice other religions such as Sikhism and Hinduism. The official languages of Afghanistan are Persian (Dari) and Pashto, with Dari serving as the inter-ethnic lingua franca for the majority. Pashto is widely used in the regions south of the Hindu Kush mountains. Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken in the northern regions, and multilingualism is common throughout the country.

Afghanistan's population faces challenges such as low literacy rates, with only 38.2% of the population over 15 years of age able to read and write. Access to basic resources is also an issue, with only 55% of the population having access to clean drinking water and 31% having improved sanitation facilities as of 2015. The country has a high infant mortality rate, with approximately 6.8% of babies dying in childbirth or infancy. The average life expectancy is around 63 years as reported in 2019, and the country has a low prevalence of HIV, with only 0.04% of the population affected.

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