DATA BRIEFS: (continued) Fertility Rate Falling Worldwide Fertility rates — the average number of live births per woman during her childbearing years — have been falling steeply around the world, a trend promising improved well-being among women and children. A global review shows that in 33 countries, rates have been at least halved since 1970. In China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Mongolia, Thailand and Tunisia, rates have declined by 60% or more. In Thailand, where the decline was the greatest, a woman had, on average, 5.6 children in 1970, but only 1.8 children in 1997. Among industrialized countries, Ireland's fall in fertility was the largest, to 1.9 children in 1997, down from 3.9 in 1970. Italy and Spain have the lowest rates in the world, each with 1.2 children in 1997. In this decade alone, fertility rates in 12 countries have fallen by an average of one or more children per woman. The biggest drop has been in Iran, where women now have 2 fewer children, on average, than in 1990. Fertility remains high, however, in 19 countries where women have, on average, 6 or more children; in Somalia, Uganda and Yemen, the average is more than 7 children.
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