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DECREASE IN BIRTH RATES, RISE IN DEATHS: WHAT'S IN STORE FOR ARMENIA
epress.am
08.23.2011
The time when Armenia will have more deaths than births is not far,
said demographer Ruben Yeganyan at a press conference in the Armenian
capital today.
Yeganyan noted that the total birth rate coefficient in Armenia is
1.7 whereas the standard is 2.1, which shows how many children a
woman has throughout her reproductive age.
"At the international level, there's a drop in birth rates. The factors
for this drop are mainly the rise in standards of living and increase
in education levels," he said, noting, however, that the situation
in Armenia is markedly different.
According to the expert, the drop in birth rates in Armenia is due
to the deterioration of socioeconomic standards in the country.
"In the 70s and 80s, the birth rate was almost stable. However,
in the 90s, the situation radically changed, the reasons of which,
unlike internationally, were the socioeconomic conditions and the
huge wave of emigration. If there's no state intervention, if this
country doesn't improve in economic, social and moral terms, the
current state policy in the demographic sector will be considered
simply a nervous contraction," he said.
The demographer expressed his concern for what is in store for Armenia
if such trends continue.
"This process will continue rapidly, the age structure of the
population will change, which, by the way, has already changed:
if we judge by international standards, we are considered to have
an aged population - we have reached a level of nearly 12% of our
pension-age population, which is a very high level. Then, in both
political and economic terms we will weaken, we will dwindle. If
there is no intervention, the processes will carry on irreversibly,"
said a concerned Yeganyan.
epress.am
08.23.2011
The time when Armenia will have more deaths than births is not far,
said demographer Ruben Yeganyan at a press conference in the Armenian
capital today.
Yeganyan noted that the total birth rate coefficient in Armenia is
1.7 whereas the standard is 2.1, which shows how many children a
woman has throughout her reproductive age.
"At the international level, there's a drop in birth rates. The factors
for this drop are mainly the rise in standards of living and increase
in education levels," he said, noting, however, that the situation
in Armenia is markedly different.
According to the expert, the drop in birth rates in Armenia is due
to the deterioration of socioeconomic standards in the country.
"In the 70s and 80s, the birth rate was almost stable. However,
in the 90s, the situation radically changed, the reasons of which,
unlike internationally, were the socioeconomic conditions and the
huge wave of emigration. If there's no state intervention, if this
country doesn't improve in economic, social and moral terms, the
current state policy in the demographic sector will be considered
simply a nervous contraction," he said.
The demographer expressed his concern for what is in store for Armenia
if such trends continue.
"This process will continue rapidly, the age structure of the
population will change, which, by the way, has already changed:
if we judge by international standards, we are considered to have
an aged population - we have reached a level of nearly 12% of our
pension-age population, which is a very high level. Then, in both
political and economic terms we will weaken, we will dwindle. If
there is no intervention, the processes will carry on irreversibly,"
said a concerned Yeganyan.