Alarm over S. Korea's low birth rate

Straits Times ^ | By Caroline Gluck

[DeaconBenjamin]

South Korea may have the lowest birth rate in the world at 1.17 .

Wow. And I thought Japan was in bad shape.

[cynicom]

I thought Italy had the lowest birthrate. Mexico could spare a few million if south Korea would care to have them.

[Larry Lucido]

South Korea somehow managed with only 25 million back in 1975, and it's up to 48 million now.

I imagine S. Korea will be able to import all the people they want from N. Korea within a few years.

[Larry Lucido]

Mexico could spare a few million

Think they'll trade their jalapenos for kimchee?

[Pukka Puck]

My thoughts exactly.

[Torie]

Quiz time. How many nations considered "developed" have fertility rates above the population replacement level of 2.1? If any, what are they? What nation or nations have the lowest fertility rates at the present time? Actually, a place that is not a nation which the UN lists separately has the lowest fertility rate on the planet at the present time. What place is that?

[Torie]

Mexico is headed towards replacement rate in the next ten years. It currently has a fertility rate of 2.5. Cheers.

[cynicom]

Someone should stop having that half a kid.

[Tax-chick]

a place that is not a nation which the UN lists separately has the lowest fertility rate on the planet at the present time

Is it Antarctica, or Vatican City? In either case, a low birthrate would be good!

[Torie]

No, neither of those places are listed. Put your thinking cap on.

[Moonman62]

I would think that decreased fertility rates are a natural consequence of increased productivity. We just don't need as many wage slaves and cannon fodder as we once did. Look at how our much smaller army beat the living daylights out of Iraq's larger one.

[Godel]

average european woman has about 1.4 kids in her lifetime. that means every generation 1/3rd of the pop is gone. Combine that with sky high third world birthrates and massive immigration/asylum and you have a recipe for genocide and complete population replacement. its very likely that we will see a muslim majority europe in our lifetime.

[Torie]

It has everything to do with economics. In developed countries, kids are a huge expense, and generate almost nothing of dollar value for the family. Also, they almost all live, so you don't need to plan for a margin for error to have someone to hold your hand when you are old. Plus, the government will hold your hand financially if you are old and poor. Plus women have rights. Plus abortion is "normal" in most of these countries. But there is one distinct grouping of countries that has the lowest fertility rates in the world. What do these countries have in common?

[Tax-chick]

Gibraltar? Andorra? It's not Oklahoma; everyone I know has at least 4 kids!

[Torie]

Andorra is a country. Gibralter is not listed either, but that actually strikes me as a reasonable guess.

[Moonman62]

But there is one distinct grouping of countries that has the lowest fertility rates in the world. What do these countries have in common?

Let me guess, fluoridated water?

[Tax-chick]

The United States and Albania have above replacement birthrates.

Greenland!

[liberalnot]

there is a relation between declining birth rates and the economy.

[Tax-chick]

What do these countries have in common?

Current or former Communist, and/or lapsed Catholic.

[Moonman62]

It has everything to do with economics. In developed countries, kids are a huge expense, and generate almost nothing of dollar value for the family.

I prefer countries where people have children because they love them. I notice where president Topgun is going to almost double the child tax credit.