The fertility rate reached an all-time low last year at 1.9 children per woman of reproductive age, reports Costa Rica's National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC). The number has fallen just below the two-child mark needed to sustain the population replacement level.
Society has strayed a long way from the average 7.3 kids per household of 1960-1961. Since then, the rate has steadly declined. By 2003, INEC says, the birth rate was 2.1 babies per women; in 2005 it fell to two.
Luis Rosero, researcher at the Central American Population Center at Costa Rica University (UCR), attributes the birth decline to a number of factors. “Higher education levels among women and greater incorporation into the workforce, the high cost of raising children, more available contraception, changes in values,” he said, to name a few.
“Young people are placing less importance on maternity. It used to be that girls would become a woman through motherhood,” he added.
When asked if a reduced role of religion had played a part, Rosero said, “Not at all.”
“We have found no difference between practicing Catholics and non- in terms of the birth rate.”
The decline, however, isn't a threat to the Costa Rican population, Rosero said. “We predict that, most probably, the population will grow to 6 million until 2050, and will then stabilize,” he said. That is, he added, unless the birth rate continues to drop below 1.8, and immigration stops entirely. |
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