Fertility

806 live born children were born in Greenland in 2014. Of these 738 were born by mothers born in Greenland themselves, and 68 were born by mothers from abroad.

 

The annual number of live born can be decomposed into the size of the female population, their age-distribution and their age-specific fertility rates. Fertility often compares by a number of indicators, some shown in summary table 5.1.

 

Summary table 5.1. Fertility indicators 2014

	Total			Mothers born in Greenland			Born outside      Greenland
	1994	2004	2014	1994	2004	2014	1994	2004	2014
Liveborn	1.139	892	806	1.025	809	738	114	83	68
Fertilityrate	20,5	15,7	14,4	21,3	16,1	14,7	15,5	12,3	11,2
Generel fertility	80,2	61,8	58,9	81,2	61,8	59,3	72,6	61,5	54,3
Total fertility	2,536	2,422	1,995	2,543	2,455	1,998	2,478	1,861	1,571
Gross reproduction	1,235	1,179	0,971	1,239	1,195	0,973	1,207	0,906	0,765
Net reproduction	1,157	1,138	0,943	…	…	…	…	…	…

Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beebblsf2

 

The fertility-indicators give an overview of fertility and the age-specific fertility rates a more detailed picture. In figure 5.1 development in the age-specific rates are shown for women, born in Greenland.

 

The fertility level dropped very sharply in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From 1975 till today, the total fertility rate (the number of children a woman would get if she gives birth in accordance with the annual fertility rates) fluctuated between approximately 2.0 and 2.6 children.

 

Figure 5.1. Total fertility 1948-2014, per 1000 women born in Greenland

Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beebbsf1

 

Over the last 10 years a decline in fertility for women under 25 years can be seen. The total fertility rate is now so low that the population can not reproduce itself.