Global fertility rates have seen a significant decline, falling from 5.3 births per woman in 1963 to 2.2 in 2023, according to UN data. This trend masks a growing demographic divide between wealthier nations experiencing shrinking, aging populations and poorer countries with continued population growth.
Singapore, one of the world's richest countries, saw its fertility rate drop to 0.87 by 2025, down from 1.6 in 2000. Despite government initiatives offering $55,000 in support per child by age 17, a quarter of Singaporeans reportedly do not intend to have children.
A UN survey of 100,000 individuals aged 18 to 39 across 73 nations revealed that two-thirds desire to marry or live with a partner, and most without children want them. However, over half cited economic constraints as the biggest barrier to forming lasting relationships. In the Nordic region, despite generous parental leave and subsidised childcare, fertility rates have fallen by up to a third since 2010.
The UN projects the global population will reach 10.3 billion by the mid-2080s. The emerging divide highlights that increasing wealth appears to correlate with lower fertility, raising questions about social and biological reproduction in affluent societies.