demographic transition in Asia

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the multi-stage process by which Asian societies have moved from high birth rates and high death rates to low birth rates and low death rates, passing through a period of rapid population growth during the intermediate stage when death rates fall before birth rates follow; Asia's demographic transition has been among the most dramatic in human history — East Asian economies including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China have seen fertility rates fall below replacement level in a matter of decades, producing rapidly ageing populations whose pension and healthcare systems face severe fiscal pressure; Southeast Asian countries are at various stages of this transition, with Singapore and Thailand already in low-fertility, ageing territory while the Philippines and Cambodia maintain higher fertility rates; demographic dividend — the economic boost produced when a large working-age cohort supports smaller cohorts of young and old dependents — has been identified as a contributor to the East and Southeast Asian economic miracle