Indonesia's Birth Rate Falls Again in 2024

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesia's total fertility rate (TFR) has been steadily declining over the past few decades.

TFR is the average number of children born alive to a woman during her reproductive years.

In 1971, the national TFR was still 5.61. This means that, at the time, women on average gave birth to between 5 and 6 children during their fertile years.

This figure has steadily decreased, reaching a new low of 2.12 in 2024.

According to the Deputy Minister of Population and Family Development, Isyana Bagoes Oka, a TFR of around 2.1 is considered ideal.

However, she believes this figure needs to be maintained to prevent a decline that could lead to an aging society, where the population is dominated by older people.

"We will collaborate to find the most appropriate way to maintain the TFR at 2.1," said Isyana, as reported by CNNIndonesia.com (October 23, 2024).

"The younger generation must be able to support the older generation, so that there won't be an even larger elderly population, and the younger population is maintained with good quality," she added.