Iceland’s fertility rate is at an all time low, reports Statistics Iceland.
The most common measure of national fertility is the number of live-births in the life of each woman. In order to maintain long-term population stability that number should be around 2.1 children, a number Iceland has mostly maintained in the past decade.
Most other European nations have been under 2.1 children, so Iceland’s fertility rate was considered high, by comparison. However, last year that number dropped down to 1.75 children per woman, the lowest ever recorded – and records began in 1853.
The average age of first time mothers also rose, where in the 1970’s the average age of a new mother was under 22 years, women now on average have their first child at 27.7 years old.
Out of all European nations, childbirth out of wedlock is the most common in Iceland. About two thirds of Icelandic children are born out of wedlock.
However, the majority of children were born to parents who lived together (54.0%), while 15.5% were born to parents who were not living together. A third (30.4%) were born to married couples.
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