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Native and Migrant Fertility Patterns in Greece: A Cohort Approach

Fécondité des autochtones et des immigrées en Grèce: une approche par génération

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Abstract

This article examines fertility patterns and differentials between native women, and Albanian and Bulgarian immigrants, using data from the 2001 census of Greece on the reported numbers of children ever-born alive by citizenship. The analysis focuses on changing fertility timing and quantum of women born between 1950 and 1970, and reveals that cohort fertility is highest among Albanians and lowest among Bulgarians, while levels for native women are somewhere in between. Completed cohort fertility is decreasing over time for all nationalities, while the gap observed among the ethnic groups has been narrowing. Evidence based on the 2001 censuses of Albania and Bulgaria indicates that immigrants in Greece constitute, to some extent, selected groups, compared to the inhabitants of their countries of origin.

Résumé

Cet article examine les schémas de fécondité et les écarts entre femmes autochtones et immigrées albanaises et bulgares en Grèce à l’aide des données du recensement de 2001 sur le nombre d’enfants nés vivants par nationalité. L’analyse est centrée sur l’évolution du calendrier et du niveau de la fécondité des femmes nées entre 1950 at 1970 et met en évidence une fécondité par génération maximale pour les Albanaises, minimale pour les Bulgares, et intermédiaire pour les autochtones. La fécondité achevée par génération diminue au cours du temps pour toutes les nationalités, et les écarts entre groupes ethniques se réduisent. L’analyse montre que les immigrés en Grèce sont des groupes sélectionnés par rapport à la population de leur pays d’origine.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Heather Joshi, Laurent Toulemon and two anonymous referees for their constructive and helpful commentary.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Panteion University of Athens, Syngrou Av. 136, Athens, 176 71, Greece

    Christos Bagavos

  2. Department of Statistics and Insurance Science, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, Piraeus, 185 34, Greece

    Cleon Tsimbos & Georgia Verropoulou

  3. Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H OAL, UK

    Georgia Verropoulou

Authors
  1. Christos Bagavos
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  2. Cleon Tsimbos
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  3. Georgia Verropoulou
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Correspondence to Georgia Verropoulou.

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Bagavos, C., Tsimbos, C. & Verropoulou, G. Native and Migrant Fertility Patterns in Greece: A Cohort Approach. Eur J Population 24, 245–263 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-007-9142-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-007-9142-6

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