Used to contrast with the postwar ‘baby boom’ of the 1950s and 60s, the term ‘baby bust’ refers to the fact that fertility rates are falling in many countries across the world. Women are having fewer children, having them at a later age, and a growing number are choosing to remain child-free. The typical nuclear family of two adults and two children is far less common than it used to be.
In many countries, populations are already shrinking, and the trend is expected to continue. In Japan and South Korea, for example, the fall in population size is immense. However, while some see this as a good thing in terms of environmental impact and the implications for scarce natural resources, a significant factor is the dependency ratio.
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