Birth rate
In demography, the crude birth rate of a population is the number of childbirths per 1000 persons per year. It can be mathematically represented by where n is the number of childbirths in that year, and p is the current population.
Birth rate is also sometimes used to refer to the projected average number of children born to each woman over the course of her life. This is more correctly referred to as the total fertility rate.
Birth rates tend to be higher in less economically developed countries and lower in more economically developed countries.
Other methods of measuring birth rate
General fertility rate (GFR) - This measures the number of births per 1000 women aged 15 to 45
Standardised birth rate (SBR) - This compares the the age-sex structure to a hypothetical standard population. This measure is usually lower than the crude birth rate
Factors affecting birth rate
- Pro-natalist and Anti-natalist government policies.
- Existing age-sex structure
- Social and religious beliefs
- Female literacy
- Economic prosperity (when the economy is doing well families can afford to have more children).