The current figures of birth rates indicate that, at present, the developed countries have low birth rates. This was not always so, for at one time these same countries had high birth rates.

It would, therefore, be interesting to trace the course of fertility decline in these countries. One important fact which should be kept in mind is that even in the eighteenth century, most of the developed countries had crude birth rates below 40.

For instance; it was about 37 in France before the Revolution, between 32 and 35 in Sweden and between 29 and 33 in Norway. The birth rate in the United States was very high at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

It was between 42 and 43 in 1850; thereafter, it started declining steadily, till it was below 35 by 1878. In 1933, it was as low as 16.7 per thousand population.

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In the eighteenth century, Russia and Eastern Europe had higher birth rates than Northern and Western Europe. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the crude birth rate in Russia was almost 50: in 1913, it was around 47.

The transition from high fertility to low fertility did not begin for all these countries at the same time. France was the first to experience a decline in fertility, when birth rates started declining in the 1830s.

One important fact which should be kept in mind is that even in the eighteenth century, most of the developed countries had crude birth rates below 40.

For instance; it was about 37 in France before the Revolution, between 32 and 35 in Sweden and between 29 and 33 in Norway. The birth rate in the United States was very high at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

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It was between 42 and 43 in 1850; thereafter, it started declining steadily, till it was below 35 by 1878. In 1933, it was as low as 16.7 per thousand population.

In the eighteenth century, Russia and Eastern Europe had higher birth rates than Northern and Western Europe. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the crude birth rate in Russia was almost 50: in 1913, it was around 47.

The transition from high fertility to low fertility did not begin for all these countries at the same time. France was the first to experience a decline in fertility, when birth rates started declining in the 1830s. Ireland was next, with the declines initiated in the 1840s.

Other European countries allowed, with declines in fertility setting in at different points of time in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries.

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The crude birth rates of the developed countries from the beginning of the twentieth century to the most recent date for which data are available.

It is evident that the birth rates of these countries have fallen, though the tempo has been different. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the crude birth rates in these developed countries varied considerably.

At one end were countries such as France and Ireland, with low crude birth rates (21.2 and 23.1 per thousand population respectively) during 1900-1904; at the other end were the USSR, Bulgaria and Romania with high crude birth rates (47.2, 40.7, 39.6 per thousand population respectively during the same period).

By 1970, crude birth rates in all the countries in Europe, except Ireland, Romania and Poland, were below 20 per thousand populations. The crude birth rates for Argentina (22.9), New Zealand (22.1) and Australia (20.6) were above 20, but below 25.

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The range of crude birth rates for developed countries has narrowed considerably. In 1974, nearly 66 per cent of the developed countries had birth rates below 18.

The pattern of fertility has also become somewhat homogeneous with a greater concentration of fertility in the younger reproductive age group. Eastern and Central European countries have slightly higher birth rates than countries of northern and western Europe.

It is obvious from these facts that the countries in the developed regions have moved from high fertility to low fertility. Currently, all of them have very low birth rates.

The transition from high to low birth rates has not been smooth or without interruption, indicates that during 1915-1919, that is, the period of the First World War, the crude birth rates in many countries declined temporarily.

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They went up during 1920- 1924, and then began to decline once more. This downward trend continued till the period of the economic depression in the 1930s, when birth rates in many countries were at the very lowest levels.