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Fertility transition in Arab countries: A re-evaluation

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Abstract

During the two decades extending from the late 1970s, average TFR in Arab countries declined by more than two births per woman. The paper examines changes in the proximate determinants of Arab fertility and evaluates some of the underlying factors that are variously held to have influenced the fertility transition. The proximate and underlying determinants of fertility in Arab countries are compared with those of other regions. Among the factors examined are economic hardship, delayed marriage, and female education and labour force participation. The roles of oil revenues and of the Islamic religion are also considered. An interesting feature is that fertility declined despite continued desires for large families.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Eltigani E. Eltigani

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  1. Eltigani E. Eltigani
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Correspondence to Eltigani E. Eltigani.

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Eltigani, E.E. Fertility transition in Arab countries: A re-evaluation. Journal of Population Research 22, 163–183 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03031827

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