Indonesia's Birth Rate Falls by 30% in Three Decades

Indonesia's birth rate, or total fertility rate (TFR), has steadily declined over the past three decades.

According to data from World Population Prospects, Indonesia's TFR in 1990 was 3.10. This means that, on average, each woman gave birth to three children throughout her reproductive years.

In subsequent years, the TFR continued to fall, reaching 2.15 last year. Cumulatively, Indonesia's birth rate has decreased by 30.64% during the 1990-2022 period.

Despite this decline, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) asserts that Indonesia is not experiencing a sex recession.

"In Indonesia, nearly 4.8 million children are born each year. So, it's far from a sex recession, if interpreted as a decrease or unwillingness to have children," said BKKBN Head Hasto Wardoyo, as reported by Antara on Sunday (29/1/2023).

"People in Indonesia who want to have a family tend to be pro-procreation or want to have offspring, that's almost 99 percent. Ask couples of childbearing age or newlyweds, their goal is definitely procreation," said Hasto.

"I also assure you that, on average, one woman (in Indonesia) still gives birth to one daughter as well. So there's no need to worry about a recession from a reproductive standpoint," he added.

However, Hasto revealed that Indonesian women tend to marry at an older age now.

"The average age of women marrying for the first time in 2021 was 22 years old. While about 5-10 years ago, the average age of women marrying was 20 or 21 years old, or even younger," said Hasto.