Teen births
The experience of adolescent girls traditionally has been measured by examining rates of pregnancy. But focusing exclusively on reproductive health ignores other profound changes taking place during this crucial stage of life. However, in the absence of country-level statistics about the diverse forces that shape the lives of teenagers, reproductive health remains one of the only tools available to compare adolescent girls around the world.
WHAT THE TABLE RANKS:
Births per 1,000 females age 15-19
(World average: 65)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA |
MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA |
CENTRAL ASIA |
EAST/ SOUTH
ASIA & PACIFIC |
AMERICAS |
EUROPE |
|
1 |
Mauritius |
45 |
1 |
Tunisia |
18 |
1 |
Azerbaijan |
19 |
1 |
Japan |
4 |
1 |
Canada |
24 |
1 |
Switzerland |
4 |
|
2 |
Burundi |
54 |
2 |
Israel |
19 |
2 |
Turkmenistan |
20 |
1 |
Korea, Rep. |
4 |
2 |
Chile |
49 |
2 |
Netherlands |
7 |
|
2 |
Rwanda |
54 |
3 |
Algeria |
24 |
3 |
Kazakhstan |
32 |
3 |
China |
5 |
3 |
Trinidad/ Tobago |
51 |
3 |
France |
8 |
|
4 |
South Africa |
70 |
4 |
Lebanon |
26 |
4 |
Tajikistan |
33 |
3 |
Korea, Dem. |
5 |
4 |
Haiti |
53 |
3 |
Italy |
8 |
|
5 |
Botswana |
83 |
5 |
Morocco |
28 |
5 |
Uzbekistan |
35 |
5 |
Singapore |
8 |
5 |
Peru |
57 |
5 |
Belgium |
9 |
|
6 |
Lesotho |
88 |
6 |
Kuwait |
31 |
6 |
Kyrgyzstan |
40 |
6 |
Cambodia |
15 |
6 |
United States |
60 |
5 |
Denmark |
9 |
|
7 |
Kenya |
101 |
7 |
Turkey |
43 |
7 |
Armenia |
41 |
7 |
Sri Lanka |
20 |
6 |
Uruguay |
60 |
7 |
Spain |
10 |
|
8 |
Namibia |
104 |
8 |
Jordan |
44 |
8 |
Georgia |
46 |
8 |
Australia |
22 |
8 |
Argentina |
64 |
7 |
Sweden |
10 |
|
9 |
Zimbabwe |
114 |
8 |
Syria |
44 |
Regional average |
59 |
9 |
Papua New Guinea |
24 |
9 |
Cuba |
65 |
9 |
Finland |
11 |
|
10 |
Ghana |
115 |
10 |
Iraq |
45 |
9 |
Afghanistan |
152 |
10 |
Malaysia |
26 |
Regional average |
68 |
10 |
Germany |
13 |
|
11 |
Togo |
119 |
11 |
Sudan |
52 |
|
|
|
11 |
Myanmar |
31 |
10 |
Mexico |
69 |
11 |
Ireland |
14 |
|
12 |
Mauritania |
122 |
Regional average |
56 |
|
|
|
12 |
New Zealand |
32 |
11 |
Brazil |
71 |
12 |
Norway |
16 |
|
13 |
Mozambique |
124 |
12 |
Egypt |
62 |
|
|
|
13 |
Viet Nam |
33 |
11 |
Ecuador |
71 |
13 |
Greece |
18 |
|
13 |
Tanzania |
124 |
13 |
U. Arab Emirates |
73 |
|
|
|
14 |
Mongolia |
39 |
13 |
Colombia |
74 |
14 |
Austria |
21 |
|
15 |
Eritrea |
128 |
14 |
Iran |
77 |
|
|
|
15 |
Philippines |
40 |
14 |
Paraguay |
76 |
15 |
Lithuania |
22 |
|
16 |
Côte
d'Ivoire |
131 |
15 |
Yemen |
101 |
|
|
|
16 |
Lao Rep. |
50 |
15 |
Bolivia |
79 |
15 |
Portugal |
22 |
|
17 |
Zambia |
132 |
16 |
Libya |
102 |
|
|
|
Regional average |
56 |
16 |
Panama |
81 |
17 |
Belarus |
24 |
|
18 |
Benin |
133 |
17 |
Saudi Arabia |
114 |
|
|
|
17 |
Indonesia |
58 |
17 |
Dominican Rep. |
88 |
18 |
Poland |
25 |
|
19 |
Central African Rep. |
134 |
18 |
Oman |
122 |
|
|
|
18 |
Thailand |
70 |
17 |
Jamaica |
88 |
Regional average |
25 |
|
20 |
Congo |
136 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
19 |
Bhutan |
84 |
19 |
Costa Rica |
89 |
19 |
Estonia |
27 |
|
21 |
Nigeria |
138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 |
Nepal |
89 |
20 |
El Salvador |
92 |
19 |
Slovenia |
27 |
|
22 |
Cameroon |
140 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 |
Pakistan |
89 |
21 |
Venezuela |
98 |
21 |
Bosnia/ Herzegovina |
29 |
|
23 |
Madagascar |
142 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 |
India |
109 |
22 |
Guatemala |
111 |
21 |
Hungary |
29 |
|
23 |
Senegal |
142 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 |
Bangladesh |
115 |
23 |
Honduras |
113 |
23 |
Latvia |
30 |
|
Regional average |
143 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 |
Nicaragua |
133 |
24 |
Albania |
31 |
|
25 |
Gambia |
153 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 |
Croatia |
31 |
|
26 |
Burkina Faso |
157 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 |
United Kingdom |
31 |
|
27 |
Malawi |
159 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 |
Moldova, Rep. |
32 |
|
28 |
Ethiopia |
168 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28 |
Czech Rep. |
35 |
|
29 |
Chad |
173 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28 |
Slovakia |
35 |
|
30 |
Gabon |
175 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 |
Ukraine |
36 |
|
31 |
Uganda |
179 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 |
Yugoslavia |
38 |
|
32 |
Guinea- Bissau |
180 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32 |
Russian Fed. |
39 |
|
33 |
Mali |
181 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33 |
TFYR Macedonia* |
40 |
|
34 |
Sierra Leone |
201 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34 |
Romania |
43 |
|
35 |
Congo, Dem. Rep. |
206 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 |
Bulgaria |
57 |
|
35 |
Liberia |
206 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 |
Niger |
206 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38 |
Somalia |
208 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39 |
Angola |
212 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40 |
Guinea |
229 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, subsequently referred to as TFYR Macedonia.
Source: UN Population Division, Dept. of Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis, World Population Prospects: The 1996 Revision. New York, 1997.
|
Moving to the cities
|
The largest generation in history will soon be the most urbanized. Moving to the city may mean:
- Growing exposure to risks -- alcohol and drugs, violence, risky sexual practices, HIV/AIDS.
- Loss of culture and isolation from extended family.
- Improved access to better schools, youth friendly health services (if subsidized).
- More employment opportunities.
- Falling birth rates (over time).
|
|