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Baby Boom in Urban Areas

Baby Boom in Urban Areas
Baby Boom in Urban Areas

In the 11 months till February 19 of the Iranian calendar year (ends March 20), the birthrate increased by 4.3 percent compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

Nearly 1.4 million babies were born (720,000 boys and 680,000 girls), of which 1.08 million births were in urban and the remaining 302,000 in rural areas, said Ali Akbar Mahzoon, head of the population and migrant statistics division at the census organization, adding that on an average about 4,200 babies were born every day.

Provinces of Qom (10.4%), Yazd (8.4%), and Alborz (7.8%) respectively recorded the highest rates of birth during the period, he said, quoted by IRNA.

After nearly two decades of population control policies following the baby boom of the 1980s and early 1990s, the country is now promoting population growth rate and “another baby boom” to help make up for its ageing population. However, experts believe it is difficult to encourage couples to have more children given the economic problems as a result of the western sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program and the rather high inflation rate.

He also said during the same period, 0.4 million people had died, indicating 51 deaths per hour.

 Marriage & Divorce

While marriages have been declining at a steep rate of 3.9% in the 11-month period, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, the rate of divorce has seen a rise.

“Of the 0.65 million cases of marriage in the period, 0.55 million were recorded in urban and 0.1 million cases in rural areas of the country,” said the official.  

The rate of divorce however increased by 2.8% in the same period, recording 0.14 million cases, including 0.13 cases of divorce in urban, and 0.01 in rural areas. The ratio of marriage to divorce is 1: 4.45, the official said, or one divorce per 4.45 marriages. “On average, 18 divorces were recorded per hour,” Mahzoon noted. 

Financialtribune.com