The 2010 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.

Rank country (children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Niger 7.68 2010 est. 2 Uganda 6.73 2010 est. 3 Mali 6.54 2010 est. 4 Somalia 6.44 2010 est. 5 Burundi 6.25 2010 est. 6 Burkina Faso 6.21 2010 est. 7 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.11 2010 est. 8 Ethiopia 6.07 2010 est. 9 Zambia 6.07 2010 est. 10 Angola 6.05 2010 est. 11 Congo, Republic of the 5.77 2010 est. 12 Malawi 5.51 2010 est. 13 Afghanistan 5.50 2010 est. 14 Benin 5.40 2010 est. 15 Mayotte 5.40 2010 est. 16 Liberia 5.24 2010 est. 17 Sao Tome and Principe 5.21 2010 est. 18 Chad 5.18 2010 est. 19 Guinea 5.15 2010 est. 20 Mozambique 5.13 2010 est. 21 Madagascar 5.09 2010 est. 22 Equatorial Guinea 5.00 2010 est. 23 Rwanda 4.99 2010 est. 24 Sierra Leone 4.97 2010 est. 25 Gambia, The 4.96 2010 est. 26 Sudan 4.93 2010 est. 27 Gaza Strip 4.90 2010 est. 28 Senegal 4.86 2010 est. 29 Nigeria 4.82 2010 est. 30 Yemen 4.81 2010 est. 31 Comoros 4.78 2010 est. 32 Togo 4.74 2010 est. 33 Central African Republic 4.68 2010 est. 34 Gabon 4.62 2010 est. 35 Eritrea 4.60 2010 est. 36 Guinea-Bissau 4.58 2010 est. 37 Kenya 4.38 2010 est. 38 Mauritania 4.37 2010 est. 39 Western Sahara 4.37 2010 est. 40 Tanzania 4.31 2010 est. 41 Cameroon 4.25 2010 est. 42 Cote d'Ivoire 4.01 2010 est. 43 Iraq 3.76 2010 est. 44 Solomon Islands 3.67 2010 est. 45 Zimbabwe 3.66 2010 est. 46 Ghana 3.57 2010 est. 47 Papua New Guinea 3.54 2010 est. 48 Marshall Islands 3.51 2010 est. 49 Jordan 3.42 2010 est. 50 Guatemala 3.36 2010 est. 51 Samoa 3.32 2010 est. 52 Belize 3.28 2010 est. 53 Pakistan 3.28 2010 est. 54 Philippines 3.23 2010 est. 55 American Samoa 3.22 2010 est. 56 Laos 3.22 2010 est. 57 Timor-Leste 3.20 2010 est. 58 Swaziland 3.19 2010 est. 59 Honduras 3.17 2010 est. 60 Tuvalu 3.14 2010 est. 61 Nauru 3.13 2010 est. 62 West Bank 3.12 2010 est. 63 Bolivia 3.07 2010 est. 64 Haiti 3.07 2011 est. 65 Syria 3.02 2010 est. 66 Egypt 3.01 2010 est. 67 Libya 3.01 2010 est. 68 Lesotho 3.00 2010 est. 69 Tajikistan 2.94 2010 est. 70 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.92 2010 est. 71 Cambodia 2.90 2010 est. 72 Oman 2.87 2010 est. 73 Kiribati 2.86 2010 est. 74 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.80 2010 est. 75 Djibouti 2.79 2010 est. 76 Israel 2.72 2010 est. 77 Kuwait 2.70 2010 est. 78 Malaysia 2.70 2010 est. 79 Bangladesh 2.65 2010 est. 80 Fiji 2.65 2010 est. 81 India 2.65 2010 est. 82 Kyrgyzstan 2.64 2010 est. 83 Namibia 2.57 2010 est. 84 World 2.56 2009 est. 85 Botswana 2.54 2010 est. 86 Cape Verde 2.54 2010 est. 87 Nepal 2.53 2010 est. 88 Nicaragua 2.51 2010 est. 89 Panama 2.48 2010 est. 90 Bahrain 2.47 2010 est. 91 Dominican Republic 2.47 2010 est. 92 Ecuador 2.46 2010 est. 93 Venezuela 2.45 2010 est. 94 Qatar 2.44 2010 est. 95 Cook Islands 2.43 2010 est. 96 Vanuatu 2.43 2010 est. 97 Faroe Islands 2.43 2010 est. 98 United Arab Emirates 2.41 2010 est. 99 Guyana 2.40 2010 est. 100 Saudi Arabia 2.35 2010 est. 101 Argentina 2.33 2010 est. 102 South Africa 2.33 2010 est. 103 Peru 2.32 2010 est. 104 Mexico 2.31 2010 est. 105 Bhutan 2.29 2010 est. 106 Burma 2.28 2010 est. 107 Indonesia 2.28 2010 est. 108 Morocco 2.23 2010 est. 109 Mongolia 2.22 2010 est. 110 Grenada 2.21 2010 est. 111 Jamaica 2.21 2010 est. 112 Brazil 2.19 2010 est. 113 Turkmenistan 2.19 2010 est. 114 Colombia 2.18 2010 est. 115 Turkey 2.18 2010 est. 116 Northern Mariana Islands 2.18 2010 est. 117 Greenland 2.16 2010 est. 118 Paraguay 2.16 2010 est. 119 El Salvador 2.12 2010 est. 120 Curacao 2.10 2009 121 New Caledonia 2.09 2010 est. 122 New Zealand 2.09 2010 est. 123 Dominica 2.08 2010 est. 124 Antigua and Barbuda 2.06 2010 est. 125 United States 2.06 2010 est. 126 Azerbaijan 2.03 2010 est. 127 Ireland 2.03 2010 est. 128 Bahamas, The 2.00 2010 est. 129 Tonga 2.00 2010 est. 130 Bermuda 1.98 2010 est. 131 France 1.97 2010 est. 132 Isle of Man 1.97 2010 est. 133 Suriname 1.97 2010 est. 134 Gibraltar 1.96 2010 est. 135 Sri Lanka 1.96 2010 est. 136 Korea, North 1.94 2010 est. 137 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.94 2010 est. 138 Costa Rica 1.93 2010 est. 139 Vietnam 1.93 2010 est. 140 Seychelles 1.92 2010 est. 141 Uzbekistan 1.92 2010 est. 142 United Kingdom 1.92 2010 est. 143 Chile 1.90 2010 est. 144 Iceland 1.90 2010 est. 145 French Polynesia 1.89 2010 est. 146 Uruguay 1.89 2010 est. 147 Iran 1.89 2010 est. 148 Brunei 1.88 2010 est. 149 Cayman Islands 1.88 2010 est. 150 Kazakhstan 1.87 2010 est. 151 Aruba 1.85 2010 est. 152 Wallis and Futuna 1.84 2010 est. 153 Maldives 1.83 2010 est. 154 Saint Lucia 1.82 2010 est. 155 Virgin Islands 1.81 2010 est. 156 Mauritius 1.80 2010 est. 157 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.79 2010 est. 158 Australia 1.78 2010 est. 159 Luxembourg 1.78 2010 est. 160 Lebanon 1.78 2010 est. 161 Norway 1.77 2010 est. 162 Algeria 1.76 2010 est. 163 Anguilla 1.75 2010 est. 164 Denmark 1.74 2010 est. 165 Finland 1.73 2010 est. 166 Palau 1.73 2010 est. 167 Trinidad and Tobago 1.72 2010 est. 168 British Virgin Islands 1.71 2010 est. 169 Tunisia 1.71 2010 est. 170 Sint Maarten 1.70 2009 171 Barbados 1.68 2010 est. 172 Sweden 1.67 2010 est. 173 Jersey 1.66 2010 est. 174 Netherlands 1.66 2010 est. 175 Belgium 1.65 2010 est. 176 Thailand 1.65 2010 est. 177 Puerto Rico 1.62 2010 est. 178 Cuba 1.61 2010 est. 179 Canada 1.58 2010 est. 180 Macedonia 1.58 2010 est. 181 Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha1.56 2010 est. 182 China 1.54 2010 est. 183 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.54 2010 est. 184 Guernsey 1.53 2010 est. 185 Liechtenstein 1.53 2010 est. 186 Malta 1.52 2010 est. 187 Monaco 1.50 2010 est. 188 Portugal 1.50 2010 est. 189 Albania 1.47 2010 est. 190 Spain 1.47 2010 est. 191 San Marino 1.46 2010 est. 192 Switzerland 1.46 2010 est. 193 Cyprus 1.45 2010 est. 194 Georgia 1.44 2010 est. 195 Croatia 1.43 2010 est. 196 Estonia 1.43 2010 est. 197 Germany 1.42 2010 est. 198 Bulgaria 1.41 2010 est. 199 Russia 1.41 2010 est. 200 Austria 1.39 2010 est. 201 Serbia 1.39 2010 est. 202 Hungary 1.39 2010 est. 203 Greece 1.37 2010 est. 204 Armenia 1.36 2010 est. 205 Slovakia 1.36 2010 est. 206 Andorra 1.34 2010 est. 207 Italy 1.32 2010 est. 208 Latvia 1.31 2010 est. 209 Poland 1.29 2010 est. 210 Slovenia 1.29 2010 est. 211 Moldova 1.28 2010 est. 212 Romania 1.27 2010 est. 213 Ukraine 1.27 2010 est. 214 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.26 2010 est. 215 Belarus 1.25 2010 est. 216 Czech Republic 1.25 2010 est. 217 Montserrat 1.25 2010 est. 218 Lithuania 1.24 2010 est. 219 Korea, South 1.22 2010 est. 220 Japan 1.20 2010 est. 221 Taiwan 1.15 2010 est. 222 Singapore 1.10 2010 est. 223 Hong Kong 1.04 2010 est. 224 Macau 0.91 2010 est.

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Rank code: 2128

Country Comparison :: Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

Rank country Government type Date of Information

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Rank code: 2129