Fertility

855 live born children were born in Greenland in 2015. Of these 794 were born by mothers born in Greenland themselves, and 71 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 5.1.

 

Summary table 5.1. Fertility indicators 2015

	Total			Mothers born in Greenland			Born outside      Greenland
	1995	2005	2015	1995	2005	2015	1995	2005	2015
Liveborn	1.101	886	855	1.012	794	784	89	92	71
Fertilityrate	19,7	15,6	15,3	20,8	15,8	15,7	12,3	13,9	11,8
Generel fertility	77,7	61,0	63,7	80,2	60,2	64,4	57,8	68,6	57,3
Total fertility	2,519	2,381	2,116	2,585	2,353	2,132	1,876	2,244	1,848
Gross reproduction	1,227	1,159	1,030	1,259	1,146	1,038	0,913	1,093	0,900
Net reproduction	1,173	1,097	1,006	…	…	…	…	…	…

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

 

The fertility-indicators give an overview of fertility and the age-specific fertility rates a more detailed picture. In figure 5.1 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 5.1. Total fertility 1948-2015, per 1000 women born in Greenland

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

 

Over the last 10 years a decline in fertility for women under 25 years can be seen. The total fertility rate is now so low that the population can not reproduce itself.