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Determinants Of Low Fertility In Singapore: Evidence From A Household Survey

Author

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  • AAMIR RAFIQUE HASHMI

    (Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore)

  • WEN JIE MOK

    (Department of Economics (Alumnus), National University of Singapore, Singapore)

Abstract

Below-replacement fertility is a common problem among the rich countries with far-reaching economic and social implications. The problem is more acute in some economically fast-growing Asian countries where the fertility decline has been more rapid and the current fertility rates have reached levels that are unprecedented in recent history. In this paper, data from a unique household survey have been used to understand the determinants of low fertility in one such country: Singapore. The total fertility rate in Singapore has dropped from 4.7 children per woman in 1965 to 1.2 in 2011. This is well below the replacement level of 2.1 and one of the lowest in the world. The authors identify three key determinants of fertility in Singapore: (1) age at marriage; (2) household income; and (3) number of siblings' children. They find that fertility is negatively related to age at marriage and positively related to the number of siblings' children. The relationship between fertility and household income is U-shaped: the relationship is negative for household incomes of up to S$21 000 (in 2010 Singapore dollars) and positive for higher incomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Aamir Rafique Hashmi & Wen Jie Mok, 2013. "Determinants Of Low Fertility In Singapore: Evidence From A Household Survey," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 58(04), pages 1-26.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:serxxx:v:58:y:2013:i:04:n:s0217590813500239
    DOI: 10.1142/S0217590813500239
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2011. "World Development Indicators 2011," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2315.
    2. Gary S. Becker, 1960. "An Economic Analysis of Fertility," NBER Chapters, in: Demographic and Economic Change in Developed Countries, pages 209-240, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Koji Yasuda & Tomoko Kinugasa & Shigeyuki Hamori, 2019. "An Empirical Analysis Of Marital Status In Japan," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 64(03), pages 773-798, June.
    2. Cesar Augusto Oviedo Tejada & Lívia Madeira Triaca & Flávia Katrein da Costa & Franciele Hellwig, 2017. "The sociodemographic, behavioral, reproductive, and health factors associated with fertility in Brazil," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(2), pages 1-10, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fertility; Singapore; J11; J13;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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