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Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

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50 | Fertility<br />

The general fertility rate (GFR) is the number <strong>of</strong> live births occurring during a specified period per<br />

1,000 women age 15-44. The crude birth rate (CBR) is the number <strong>of</strong> births per 1,000 population<br />

during a specified period.<br />

Table 4.1 shows the current fertility for <strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong> at the national level <strong>and</strong> by urban-rural<br />

residence. The total fertility rate for <strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong> for the three years preceding the survey is 5.7 births<br />

per woman <strong>and</strong> is the highest in South East Asia <strong>and</strong> Asia (together with Afghanistan) (PRB, 20<strong>10</strong>)<br />

but below the levels <strong>of</strong> Africa. At this level, it is estimated that the population will increase from its<br />

current size <strong>of</strong> 1.2 million to 1.9 million by the year 2025 <strong>and</strong> 3.2 million by the year 2050 (PRB,<br />

20<strong>10</strong>). As expected, fertility is considerably higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Rural women<br />

have on average about one child more than urban women (6.0 compared with 4.9 births per woman).<br />

As the ASFRs show, the pattern <strong>of</strong> high rural fertility is prevalent in all age groups (Figure 4.1). The<br />

urban-rural difference in fertility is most pronounced for women age 20-24 (187 births per 1,000<br />

women in urban areas versus 236 births per 1,000 women in rural areas).<br />

300<br />

250<br />

200<br />

150<br />

<strong>10</strong>0<br />

50<br />

0<br />

Figure 4.1 Age-specific Fertility Rates by Urban-Rural<br />

Residence<br />

Births per 1,000 women<br />

&<br />

$<br />

&<br />

$<br />

&<br />

$<br />

&<br />

$<br />

&<br />

$ $<br />

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49<br />

Age group<br />

$ Urban & Rural Total<br />

&<br />

$<br />

&<br />

<strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong> <strong>2009</strong>-<strong>10</strong><br />

The overall age pattern <strong>of</strong> fertility as reflected in the ASFRs indicates that childbearing begins<br />

early. Fertility is low among adolescents <strong>and</strong> increases to a peak <strong>of</strong> 276 births per 1,000 among<br />

women age 25-29 <strong>and</strong> declines thereafter.<br />

4.2 FERTILITY DIFFERENTIALS<br />

Table 4.2 presents the differentials in the total fertility rates, the percentage <strong>of</strong> women who<br />

are currently pregnant <strong>and</strong> the mean number <strong>of</strong> children ever born (CEB) to women age 40-49, by<br />

urban-rural residence, district, education, <strong>and</strong> wealth quintile.<br />

There are considerable differentials in fertility among districts, with fertility ranging from a<br />

low <strong>of</strong> 4.4 births per woman in Covalima to a high <strong>of</strong> 7.2 births per woman in Ainaro. The level <strong>of</strong><br />

fertility is inversely related to women’s educational attainment, decreasing rapidly from 6.1 births<br />

among women with no education to 2.9 births among women with more than secondary education.<br />

Fertility is also inversely associated with wealth quintile. Women in the lowest wealth quintile have<br />

an average <strong>of</strong> 7.3 births, about three children more than women in the highest quintile (4.2 births).

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