Some Statistics

The total fertility rates are quite low in a number of high income countries. They are even lower in former Communist countries which are not shown, but my point is with regards to the leading developed countries. These low fertility rates, unless they change, or unless the country has a high level of immigration will eventually lead to decreases in total population. Note however, that many of these countries already have quite high population density as compared with the United States, not to mention Australia and Canada. Of course, much of the land in these latter two nations is not very attractive for urban development.

These countries all are still experiencing more births than deaths each year, and actual reductions of population are only future potentialities.

It has been believed that lowering the birth rate can contribute to increasing the rate of increase of per capita GDP, since capital accumulations can be put to increasing the capital investment per worker rather than investment in human capital of workers yet to come and creating new employment.

In the future, however, these countries will face an increased in the ratio of retired people per worker, and that ratio may become very worrisome.