While the average fertility rate in the country is 1.8 births per woman, the figure is 1.4 among wealthy families, 1.1 for literate and 3.2 for illiterate women, 1.4 for women in Tehran and 3.5 for those living in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, said Alireza Zahedian, deputy of statistical plans at the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI). According to SCI estimates, by the end of the year 2020, the country’s population would reach 84.2 million,” an increase of 4 million from the current population, IRNA quoted him as saying. “The possibility of zero population growth rates by the year 2050 exists,” if vital demographic statistics don’t improve, he cautioned.
