The fertility rate or the average number of children born per woman in the childbearing age in the country is 1.8 (the figure is 1.4 in Tehran), said Faranak Rahimi, head of Schools, Family, and Population Health Office at the Iran University of Medical Sciences on Sunday.
“The main cause for the low fertility rate is the high number of single women,” IRNA quoted her as saying.
“If young people get married at the appropriate age, the rate could increase to at least 2.6,” she said. There are 11 million singles in the country and many of them have crossed the median marriage age.
At current fertility rates, Iran’s median age is expected to increase from 28 in 2013 to 40 by 2030. The possibility of zero population growth rates by the year 2050 cannot be ruled out.
Add new comment
Read our comment policy before posting your viewpoints