Statistics and indicators on women and men
 

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Table 2.B - Indicators on households and childbearing
  Average
household size,		 %women-
headed
households, 		Contraceptive
use, married
women (%),		 Total fertility rate
(births per woman)		 Births
per 1000 women
aged 15-19,
Country or area 1991/1994 1991/1997 1991/2002 1990-
1995		   2000-2005   2000-2005
Africa
Algeria
7.0
 a
11
 a
52
 b c 4.1   2.8  
16
Angola
..
  
..
  
..
   7.2   7.2  
229
 
Benin
5.9
18
19
 6.5   5.7  
107
Botswana                       
4.8
 a
47
  
33
 a 4.4   3.7  
91
 
Burkina Faso                   
6.2
 a
7
12
 7.1   6.7  
136
Burundi                        
4.6
 a
25
 a
9
 a 6.8   6.8  
50
 
Cameroon                       
5.2
 a
18
19
 5.7   4.6  
121
Cape Verde                     
5.0
 a
38
 a
53
   4.7   3.3  
82
 
Central African Republic
4.7
 a
21
15
 5.6   4.9  
132
Chad
..
  
..
  
4
   6.7   6.7  
195
 
Comoros                        
6.2
25
21
 5.8   4.9  
59
Congo
..
  
22
  
..
   6.3   6.3  
146
 
Côte d'Ivoire
6.0
 a
15
15
 6.0   4.7  
116
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
..
  
..
  
8
   6.7   6.7  
230
 
Djibouti                       
6.6
18
..
 6.3   5.7  
64
Egypt
4.9
 a
13
  
56
   4.0   3.3  
47
 
Equatorial Guinea              
..
..
..
 5.9   5.9  
192
Eritrea
   ..
 
31
  
8
   6.2   5.4  
115
 
Ethiopia                       
..
..
8
 6.8   6.1  
100
Gabon
..
  
..
  
33
   5.2   4.0  
113
 
Gambia                         
..
..
12
 a 5.6   4.7  
125
Ghana
4.8
 a
37
  
22
   5.3   4.1  
76
 
Guinea                         
7.2
7
6
 6.4   5.8  
163
Guinea-Bissau
7.9
  
..
  
..
   7.1   7.1  
197
 
Kenya
5.2
 a
33
39
 5.4   4.0  
78
Lesotho                        
5.1
 a
..
  
23
 d 4.7   3.8  
53
 
Liberia                        
5.0
 a
19
 a
6
 a 6.9   6.8  
227
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya          
..
  
..
  
40
   4.1   3.0  
7
 
Madagascar                     
4.5
22
19
 6.2   5.7  
137
Malawi                         
4.3
 a
26
  
31
   6.8   6.1  
163
 
Mali                           
5.6
 a
8
8
 7.0   7.0  
191
Mauritania                     
..
  
..
  
8
   6.1   5.8  
104
 
Mauritius                      
4.4
 a
18
 a
75
 2.3   1.9  
33
Morocco                        
6.0
 a
15
  
50
   3.6   2.7  
25
 
Mozambique                     
..
27
6
 6.2   5.6  
105
Namibia                        
5.2
  
39
  
29
   5.6   4.6  
78
 
Niger
6.4
 a
10
 a
8
 8.0   8.0  
233
Nigeria                        
5.4
 a
14
 a
15
 6.4   5.4  
103
 
Reunion                        
3.8
 a
..
67
 a 2.4   2.3  
32
Rwanda                         
4.7
  
25
  
13
   6.7   5.7  
50
 
Sao Tome and Principe
4.3
33
..
 4.9   4.0  
74
Senegal                        
8.8
  
18
  
13
   6.1   5.0  
86
 
Seychelles
4.5
 a
..
..
 ..   ..  
..
Sierra Leone
5.7
 a
11
 a
4
 a 6.5   6.5  
212
 
Somalia
..
..
1
 a 7.3   7.3  
213
South Africa                   
5.8
 e
..
  
56
 3.4   2.6  
66
 
Sudan
6.3
 a
13
 a
8
 o 5.3   4.4  
55
Swaziland                      
..
  
40
 a
20
 a f 5.6   4.5  
45
 
Togo                           
5.1
 a
26
 a
24
 6.2   5.3  
81
Tunisia                        
5.4
 a
11
 a
60
   3.1   2.0  
7
 
Uganda                         
5.4
 a
29
23
 7.1   7.1  
211
United Rep. of Tanzania            
5.2
 a
22
  
25
   6.1   5.1  
120
 
Western Sahara
..
..
..
 4.8   3.9  
61
Zambia                         
5.6
  
17
 a
25
   6.3   5.6  
145
 
Zimbabwe                       
5.2
 a
33
54
 5.1   3.9  
92
 
 
 
  
 
    
 
Latin America/Caribbean                    
 
Antigua and Barbuda
3.1
..
53
 a ..   ..  
..
Argentina                      
3.7
  
22
  
74
 a 2.8   2.4  
61
 
Aruba
3.4
..
..
 ..   ..  
..
Bahamas                        
4.1
 a
36
 a
62
 a 2.6   2.3  
60
 
Barbados                       
..
..
55
 a 1.6   1.5  
43
Belize
4.8
  
22
  
47
   4.4   3.2  
86
 
Bolivia                        
4.6
 a
24
48
 4.8   3.8  
81
Brazil                         
4.2
 a
18
  
77
   2.6   2.2  
73
 
Chile
4.0
25
30
 a 2.5   2.4  
44
Colombia                       
4.5
  
24
  
77
   3.0   2.6  
80
 
Costa Rica                     
4.3
20
75
 2.9   2.3  
78
Cuba                           
4.0
 a
..
  
70
 a 1.6   1.6  
65
 
Dominica
..
..
50
 a ..   ..  
..
Dominican Republic             
4.5
  
25
  
69
   3.2   2.7  
93
 
Ecuador                        
4.8
 a
..
66
 3.5   2.8  
66
El Salvador                    
4.1
  
27
 a
60
   3.5   2.9  
87
 
French Guiana
3.4
 a
..
..
 4.1   3.3  
90
Grenada
..
  
..
  
54
 a ..   ..  
..
 
Guadeloupe                     
3.4
 a
..
..
 2.1   2.1  
19
Guatemala                      
..
  
20
  
38
   5.4   4.4  
111
 
Guyana                         
..
..
..
 2.6   2.3  
67
Haiti
5.0
  
39
  
28
   4.8   4.0  
64
 
Honduras                       
5.4
 a
20
 a
62
 4.9   3.7  
103
Jamaica                        
..
  
38
  
66
   2.8   2.4  
79
 
Martinique                     
3.3
 a
..
..
 1.9   1.9  
30
Mexico                         
5.0
 a
17
 a
67
   3.1   2.5  
64
 
Netherlands Antilles
3.3
34
..
 2.3   2.1  
44
Nicaragua                      
..
  
28
 a
69
   4.8   3.7  
135
 
Panama                         
4.4
 a
22
 a
..
 2.9   2.7  
89
Paraguay                       
4.7
  
21
  
57
   4.6   3.8  
75
 
Peru                           
5.2
 a
23
69
 3.7   2.9  
55
Puerto Rico                    
3.9
 a
32
 a
78
   2.2   1.9  
63
 
Saint Lucia
4.0
..
47
 a 3.2   2.3  
63
St. Vincent/Grenadines
..
  
..
  
58
 a 2.8   2.2  
66
 
Suriname
..
..
..
 2.5   2.5  
42
Trinidad and Tobago            
4.1
 a
..
  
53
 a 2.1   1.6  
36
 
Uruguay                        
3.3
 a
23
 a
..
 2.5   2.3  
70
US Virgin Islands
3.2
 a
45
 a
..
   2.3   2.1  
46
 
Venezuela                      
4.8
 a
21
 a
..
 3.3   2.7  
95
                   
 
 
Asia                    
 
Afghanistan                    
..
..
..
 7.0   6.8  
111
Armenia
4.4
 a
..
  
61
   2.2   1.2  
34
 
Azerbaijan
4.5
 a
..
56
   2.8   2.1  
36
Bahrain                        
5.6
  
..
  
62
   3.4   2.7  
18
 
Bangladesh                     
5.5
9
54
 4.4   3.5  
117
Bhutan
..
  
..
  
19
 d 5.8   5.0  
54
 
Brunei Darussalam              
5.8
..
..
 3.1   2.5  
26
Cambodia
..
  
..
  
24
   5.5   4.8  
60
 
China
4.0
 a g
..
84
 g 1.9   1.8  
5
g
China, Hong Kong SAR                       
3.4
  
27
  
86
   1.2   1.0  
6
 
Cnina, Macao SAR
3.6
21
..
 1.6   1.1  
6
Cyprus                         
3.2
 h
14
 h
..
   2.3   1.9  
10
 
Dem. People's Rep. of Korea
..
..
62
 2.3   2.0  
2
Georgia
3.7
 a
..
41
   1.9   1.4  
33
India
5.5
  
9
  
48
   3.8   3.0  
45
 
Indonesia                      
4.5
 a
13
57
 3.0   2.4  
55
Iran (Islamic Rep. of)         
5.1
 a
6
  
73
   4.3   2.3  
33
 
Iraq                           
7.3
 a
..
14
 a 5.7   4.8  
38
Israel                         
..
  
..
  
..
   2.9   2.7  
17
 
Jordan                         
6.9
..
53
 4.9   3.6  
27
Kazakhstan
3.6
 a
..
  
66
   2.5   2.0  
45
 
Kuwait                         
6.5
 a
5
 a     
50
   3.2   2.7  
31
Kyrgyzstan
4.7
 a
26
  
60
   3.4   2.6  
33
 
Lao People's Dem. Rep.
..
..
32
   5.8   4.8  
91
Lebanon
..
  
..
  
61
   2.8   2.2  
25
 
Malaysia                       
4.8
18
55
 p 3.6   2.9  
18
Maldives                       
6.8
 a
..
  
..
   6.1   5.3  
53
 
Mongolia
..
..
60
 d 3.4   2.4  
54
Myanmar
..
  
..
  
33
   3.8   2.9  
24
 
Nepal
5.6
13
39
 5.0   4.3  
117
Occupied Palestinian Territory
..
  
..
  
..
   6.5   5.6  
94
Oman
7.0
..
24
 6.5   5.0  
66
Pakistan                       
6.5
 a
7
 a     
24
   5.8   5.1  
50
 
Philippines                    
5.3
 a
11
 a     
46
 4.1   3.2  
38
Qatar
5.6
 a
..
  
43
   4.1   3.2  
20
 
Republic of Korea
3.7
 a
17
81
 1.7   1.4  
3
Saudi Arabia                   
7.4
 a
..
  
32
   5.8   4.5  
38
 
Singapore                      
4.2
 a
..
..
 1.8   1.4  
6
Sri Lanka                      
..
  
..
  
66
 j 2.4   2.0  
22
 
Syrian Arab Republic           
6.0
..
36
 4.6   3.3  
34
Tajikistan
5.7
 a
..
  
21
 a 4.4   3.1  
25
 
Thailand                       
4.4
 a
..
72
 2.1   1.9  
49
Timor-Leste
..
  
..
  
..
   4.8   3.8  
27
 
Turkey                         
5.0
 a
10
  
64
   3.1   2.4  
43
 
Turkmenistan
5.2
 a
..
62
   4.0   2.7  
17
United Arab Emirates           
..
  
..
  
28
   3.8   2.8  
51
 
Uzbekistan
5.2
 a
22
56
 3.6   2.4  
54
Viet Nam                       
4.8
 a
32
 a     
75
   3.3   2.3  
21
 
Yemen
5.8
 a k
12
21
 7.8   7.0  
111
                     
 
Oceania                    
 
American Samoa
7.0
 a
..
..
 ..   ..  
..
Fiji                           
5.7
 a
12
 a
40
 a 3.4   2.9  
54
 
French Polynesia               
4.7
 a
18
 a
..
 3.1   2.4  
45
Guam                           
4.0
 a
21
 a
..
   3.1   2.9  
70
 
Kiribati
6.4
 a
..
37
 a ..   ..  
..
Marshall Islands
8.7
 a
..
  
27
 a ..   ..  
..
 
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
7.5
 a
..
..
 4.8   3.8  
33
New Caledonia
4.0
 a
16
 a
25
 a d 2.9   2.5  
31
 
Palau
5.0
 a
..
..
 ..   ..  
..
Papua New Guinea               
..
  
8
  
26
   5.1   4.1  
67
 
Samoa
6.7
 a
13
 a
34
 a 4.7   4.1  
44
Solomon Islands                
6.5
 a
16
 a
3
 a d 5.5   4.4  
52
 
Tonga
6.2
 a
20
 a
74
 a 4.5   3.7  
17
Vanuatu
5.0
 a
..
  
15
 d 4.8   4.1  
52
 
               
 
    
 
Developed regions                    
 
Albania
..
..
..
 2.9   2.3  
16
Australia                      
3.0
 a
..
  
76
 a 1.9   1.7  
16
 
Austria                        
..
..
51
 1.5   1.3  
12
Belarus
2.7
 a
..
  
50
   1.7   1.2  
27
 
Belgium                        
..
..
78
 1.6   1.7  
9
Bermuda
2.6
  
34
  
..
   ..   ..  
..
 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
..
..
..
 1.5   1.3  
23
Bulgaria                       
3.0
 a
18
 a
86
   1.5   1.1  
41
 
Canada                         
2.8
30
75
 1.7   1.5  
16
Croatia
3.1
  
..
  
..
   1.5   1.7  
19
 
Czech Republic
2.5
26
69
 1.6   1.2  
17
Denmark                        
2.3
 a
42
  
78
 a l 1.7   1.8  
7
 
Estonia
3.1
 a
..
70
 l 1.6   1.2  
26
Finland                        
2.5
 a
42
  
77
 a 1.8   1.7  
8
 
France                         
2.6
 a
..
75
 1.7   1.9  
9
Germany
2.3
 a m
27
 a m
75
   1.3   1.4  
11
 
Greece                         
3.0
20
..
 1.4   1.3  
10
Hungary                        
2.7
 a
35
  
77
   1.7   1.2  
21
 
Iceland                        
..
..
..
 2.2   2.0  
19
Ireland                        
3.3
  
26
  
..
   2.0   1.9  
15
 
Italy
2.9
..
60
   1.3   1.2  
6
Japan
3.0
 a
17
 a
59
   1.5   1.3  
4
 
Latvia
3.1
 a
..
48
 1.6   1.1  
24
Lithuania
3.2
 a
..
  
59
   1.8   1.3  
26
 
Luxembourg                     
2.7
26
..
 1.7   1.7  
9
Malta
3.3
 a
..
  
..
   2.0   1.8  
12
 
Netherlands                    
..
..
79
 1.6   1.7  
5
New Zealand                    
2.8
  
37
  
75
   2.1   2.0  
27
 
Norway                         
2.4
 a
34
 a
74
 a 1.9   1.8  
11
Poland                         
3.1
 a
31
 a
49
   1.9   1.3  
16
 
Portugal                       
3.1
20
..
 1.5   1.5  
17
Republic of Moldova
3.4
 a
..
  
74
   2.1   1.4  
43
 
Romania                        
3.1
22
64
 1.5   1.3  
37
Russian Federation
2.8
 a
..
  
73
   1.6   1.1  
30
 
San Marino
2.8
19
 a
..
 ..   ..  
..
Serbia and Montenegro
3.6
22
..
 2.0   1.7  
26
Slovakia
2.9
  
23
  
74
 l 1.9   1.3  
24
 
Slovenia
3.1
44
..
 1.4   1.1  
8
Spain
..
  
..
  
81
   1.3   1.2  
6
 
Sweden                         
2.2
 a
37
 a
..
 2.0   1.6  
7
Switzerland                    
2.4
 a
28
 a
82
   1.5   1.4  
5
 
The FYR of Macedonia
3.8
..
..
 1.8   1.9  
34
Ukraine
2.8
 a
..
  
68
   1.6   1.2  
38
 
United Kingdom                 
..
..
82
 n 1.8   1.6  
20
United States                  
2.6
 a
36
  
76
   2.1   2.1  
53
 

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Sources:

For statistics on household size and women-headed households: Women's Indicators and Statistics Database (Wistat), Version 4, CD-ROM (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.00.XVII.4), based on various international and national sources, in particular the Demographic Yearbook (United Nations publication, various years up to 1997) and unpublished updates; for contraceptive use: United Nations Statistics Division Social Indicators website (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/social/childbr.htm, accessed on January 2004); for total fertility rate: Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2002 Revision, Vol. I, Comprehensive Tables (United Nations publication, Sales No.E.03.XIII.6); for births per 1000 women aged 15-19: Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2002 Revision, Datasets in Excel and PDF Formats (UN publication, Sales No.E.03.XIII.8).

Footnotes:

aData refer to a year between 1985 and 1990.
bExcluding sterilization.
cFor all ever-married women of reproductive age.
dFor all women of reproductive age.
eExcluding Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei and Venda.
fIncluding single women of reproductive age who have borne a child.
gFor statistical purposes, data for China do not include Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
hData refer to government controlled areas only.
iNot a nationally representative sample; national prevalence level probably lower than indicated.
jExcluding several northern and eastern areas containing roughly 15 per cent of the population.
kData refer to the former Yemen Arab Republic.
lFor all sexually active women of reproductive age.
mData shown are for the former Federal Republic of Germany.
nData exclude Northern Ireland.
oData refer to North Sudan only.
pData refer to Peninsular Malaysia only.


Technical notes:

The first two columns of table 2.B present household size and percentage of households headed by women. These indicators are based mainly on population census results provided by national statistical services to the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat for the Demographic Yearbook. They are supplemented by data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and other national reports. These data are also contained in Wistat.

The definition of household recommended by the United Nations for use in population and housing censuses is given in a sidebar in the chapter. In most censuses, persons not resident in a given household at the date of the census are not considered members of that household. However, a few national population censuses may include some categories of absent household members. In population censuses in most countries, the head of the household is defined as that person in the household or the family who is acknowledged as such by the other members. However, it is important to recognize that the procedures followed in applying the concept may distort the true picture, particularly with regard to women heads of households. Nonetheless, for most countries, this is the only practical way of identifying households for which women are responsible (see the section on women-headed households in the report).

The last four columns of table 2.B are indicators of contraceptive use and fertility. Data on contraceptive use among currently married women of reproductive age are drawn mainly from the compilation by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat and the Demographic and Health Surveys country reports. Statistics on contraceptive use are taken mainly from representative national sample surveys of women of reproductive age. Contraceptive use pertains to current use by currently married women or women currently in a union, unless otherwise indicated, and includes all contraceptive methods, traditional as well as modern. These data are also available in Wistat.

Indicators of fertility presented in table 2.B are estimates and projections prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat in 2001 and are given as five-year averages.

The total fertility rate is defined as the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children at each age in accordance with prevailing age-specific fertility rates. Births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 refers to the number of children born alive in one year per 1,000 women aged 15-19.