Part 3/14:
The reality is already visible. Japan, the world’s most advanced economy facing a population decline for decades, serves as the canary in the coal mine. Its birth rates have plummeted, and its population is aging rapidly.
Other nations show worrying trends: South Korea’s fertility rate hovers around 0.72 children per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1. Countries like Italy, Spain, and broader Europe are experiencing similar declines with fertility rates below 1.4, and China—the most populous nation until recently—is now shrinking.
While some regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia still experience growth, they will not escape demographic decline forever. Ultimately, the global picture points to a population that begins to decrease in the coming decades.