Assignment # 3 [Kevin Guibara]

Birth Rate and Ideology

Kevin Guibara

Austria  

73% catholic

Birth rate 9 per 1k

Literacy 98% and 16 yrs avg schooling

Below poverty line 6%

Mother’s mean age at first birth 29

Life expectancy 80

Contraceptive prevalence rate 69%

Infant mortality 4 per 1k

Spain  

94% catholic

Birth rate 10 per 1k

Literacy  97% and 17 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 21%

Mother’s mean age at first birth 29

Life expectancy 81

Contraceptive prevalence rate 65%

Infant mortality 3.4 per 1k

France

85% catholic

Birth rate 12.5 per 1k

Literacy 99% and 16 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 8%

Mother’s mean age at first birth 28

Life expectancy 82

Contraceptive prevalence rate 76%

Infant mortality 3.3 per 1k

Brazil  

73% catholic

Birth rate 15 per 1k

Literacy 90% and 14 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 21%

Life expectancy 73

Contraceptive prevalence rate 80%

Infant mortality 20 per 1k

Mexico

83% Catholic

Birth rate 18 per 1k

Literacy 93% and 14 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 51%

Mother’s mean age at first birth 21

Life expectancy 76

Contraceptive prevalence rate 70%

Infant mortality 16 per 1k

Philippines

82% catholic

Birth rate 24 per 1k

Literacy 95% and 11 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 27%

Life expectancy 72

Mother’s mean age at first birth 23

Contraceptive prevalence rate 48%

Infant mortality 18 per 1k

OUTGROUP

Japan

Less than 2% catholic

Birth rate 8 per 1k

Literacy 99% and 15 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 16%

Mothers’ mean age at first birth 29

Life expectancy 84

Contraceptive prevalence 54%

Infant mortality 2 per 1k

Greece

Less than .5% catholic

Birth rate 9 per 1k

Literacy 97% and 16 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 20%

Mother’s mean age at first birth 29

Life expectancy 80

Contraceptive prevalence 76%

Infant mortality 5 per 1k

South Africa  

7% catholic

Birth rate 19 per 1k

Literacy 93% and 13 yrs average schooling

Below poverty line 31%

Mothers mean age at first birth 23

Life expectancy 49

Contraceptive prevalence 59%

Infant mortality 42 per 1k

The statistic with the strongest correlation to birthrate that I found was the Mother’s mean age at the time of birth. The higher the mother’s mean age, the lower the birth rate. There is the logical conclusion that the higher the age of first birth, the less time a female has left in her child bearing years. This correlates to literacy rate and time spent in school. This is usually an indicator of a developed society with women delaying pregnancy to get ahead in their education/careers. When the first pregnancy average is above 28, literacy is above 95% and average time spent in school is also above 15 years, the corresponding birth rate in these countries is below 12.5 with an average of 9. When first pregnancy average is below 23, literacy is below 95% and the average years spent in school is below 15 the corresponding birth rate is above 15 with an average of 19.

Interestingly, the R-K selection theory is the best description for this correlation, not the religion for each country. To further confirm the R-K selection theory I went back and looked up infant mortality. It was consistent with the R-K theory, the countries with more resources and a higher mean mothers age had infant mortality rates under 5 per 1k. The countries with lower education and a lower mean age had infant mortality rates above 15 per 1k.

Brazil has strong anti abortion laws that probably impact birth rate as well. This will also influence birth rates among other catholic nations as well that do not believe in abortion, even if its not illegal in those countries like in Brazil. This should further influence catholic nations having higher birth rates, however this is not apparent in the data. In comparison to Brazil, South Africa has very few Catholics and has a higher birth rate.

In conclusion, I cannot detect any relationship to birth rate and Catholicism. There also does not appear to be any relationship with contraceptive prevalence and Catholicism, except for the fact that the average Catholic nation I chose has a higher rate of contraceptive prevalence than the non-Catholic nation. A better explanation for the countries’ relationships between birth rates is the R-K selection theory. The countries with more education and more resources, have lower birth rates. The countries with higher infant mortality have higher birth rates and less resources per child.