| The total fertility rate (TFR) may be interpreted as the number of children a woman would bear if she experienced, at each age, the current period age specific fertility rates (and she survived to the end of her reproductive cycle). If we disregard immigration and emigration, the total fertility rate in any country must be 2.08 to ensure the long-term natural replacement of the population. The rate must be higher than 2.0 because 5 to 6 per cent more boys than girls are born and because not all women survive to the end of their reproductive period (15-59 years). |