More than half of the world's countries now have total fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman needed to sustain a population. Longer lifespans, rising living costs and shifting social attitudes among younger generations have contributed to the decline.
South Korea (0.75) and Japan (1.15) have among the lowest fertility rates, and both countries are considered "super-aged societies," with more than 20 percent of their populations aged 65 and older. In recent years, both countries have invested billions of dollars to reverse the trends, fearing they will strain social safety nets and drag on economic growth.
