In 2017, the lowest TFR was in Cyprus, where on average, a woman would give birth to one child throughout her life.

Even as the world’s population grew by 87.2 million people annually from 2007 to 2017, 91 nations are not producing enough children to maintain their current populations, shows a new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

Part of the annual Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, the findings say that 91 countries, including Singapore, Spain, Portugal, Norway and South Korea, along with Cyprus, have a total fertility rate (TFR) of lower than two. TFR is a summary measurement representing the average number of children a woman would deliver over her lifetime. In 2017, the lowest TFR was in Cyprus, where on average, a woman would give birth to one child throughout her life

While global TFR declined since 1950, the world’s population grew in comparison with 81.5 million annually from 1997 to 2007. The study says that while in 1950, high-income countries accounted for 24 per cent of the global population, in 2017, the population of these countries accounted for 14 per cent.

The findings show that there is a baby boom just as there is a baby bust. In 104 countries, high birth rates are driving population increases. The highest TFR was in Niger, where a woman would give birth to seven children in her lifetime.

Apart from Niger, Mali, Chad, and South Sudan were among the 104 nations with fertility rates exceeding two births per woman. Singapore, Spain, Portugal, Norway and South Korea, along with Cyprus, had TFR rates lower than two.