Fertility

821 live born children were born in Greenland in 2011. Of these 747 were born by mothers born in Greenland themselves, and 74 were born by mothers from abroad.

The annual number of live born can be decomposed into the size of the female population, their age-distribution and their age-specific fertility rates. Fertility often compares by a number of indicators, some shown in summary table 1.

Summary table 1

Fertility indicators 2011

	Total			Mothers born in Greenland			Born outside      Greenland
	1991	2001	2011	1991	2001	2011	1991	2001	2011
Liveborn	1.192	942	821	1.102	856	747	90	86	74
Fertilityrate	21,5	17,0	14,8	23,5	18,2	15,9	10,6	10,1	8,7
Generel fertility	81,8	64,6	56,3	86,4	67,1	58,6	49,5	47,3	40,7
Total fertility	2,431	2,514	2,100	2,507	2,524	2,117	1,748	2,255	1,669
Gross reproduction	1,185	1,225	1,023	1,222	1,230	1,032	0,852	1,099	0,814
Net reproduction	1,143	1,169	0,992	…	…	…	…	…	…

Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beebblsf2

The fertility-indicators gives an overview of fertility and the age-specific fertility rates a more detailed picture. In figure 1 development in the age-specific rates are shown for women, born in Greenland.

The fertility level dropped very sharply in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From 1975 till today, the total fertility rate (the number of children a woman would get if she gives birth in accordance with the annual fertility rates) fluctuated between approximately 2.0 and 2.6 children.

Figure 1

Total fertility 1948-2011, per 1000 women born in Greenland

Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beebbsf1