Computed with the same code as the observations under the main chart and in the API (get_insights). Moving together in time does not prove a cause.
How the indicators changed
Fertility (TFR): 3.16 in 1950 → 1.19 in 2024 (−62%). Peak: 3.36 in 1977; the latest value is 65% lower. Thresholds: below 2.1 since 2018, below 1.5 since 2024. The trend broke around 1981 and 2017: 0 → −0.03 → −0.13 a year.
Births: 443k in 1950 → 413k in 2024 (−7%). Peak: 775k in 2014; the latest value is 47% lower. The trend broke around 1984 and 2016: +8.41k → +1.59k → −41.6k a year.
Population: 17M in 1950 → 45.5M in 2023 (×2.7). The trend broke around 2017: change slowed down (+442k → +184k a year).
Internet: 0% in 1990 → 89.7% in 2024 (+90 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 2002, above 50% since 2011. Fastest growth in 2008–2013: 28.1% → 59.9%.
Urban share: 71.7% in 1960 → 92.4% in 2025 (+21 pp). Threshold: above 75% since 1965. The trend broke around 1970 and 1994: +0.72 → +0.39 → +0.14 a year.
GDP per person (PPP): 17,007 PPP dollars in 1990 → 27,847 PPP dollars in 2025 (+64%). The trend broke around 2003 and 2011: +171 → +884 → −191 a year.
GDP growth: on average −0.9% in the 1980s, 4.3% in the 1990s, 2.6% in the 2000s, 1.4% in the 2010s, 1.3% in the 2020s. Lowest: −10.9% in 2002; highest: 10.5% in 1991.
Inflation: on average 8.6% in the 2000s, 22.1% in the 2010s, 93.0% in the 2020s. Lowest: −1.2% in 1999; highest: 219.9% in 2024.
What changed at the same time
The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 2014–2024: 2.39 → 1.19. Over the same years: births 775k → 413k; population 43M → 45.5M; internet 64.7% → 89.7%; urban share 91.4% → 92.3%; GDP per person (PPP) 28,201 PPP dollars → 26,772 PPP dollars; GDP growth −2.5% → −1.3%; inflation 10.6% → 219.9%.
How the indicators relate
Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2024, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.89); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.26). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2024, 65 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.73); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.29). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Fertility (TFR) and GDP per person (PPP) (1990–2024, 35 years): levels are noticeably related, in opposite directions (r = −0.61); year-to-year changes are weakly related (r = 0.35).
Forecasts vs actual
Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 11 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in none; median gap −1.6%.
The UN 2004 projection did not expect today's level (1.19, 2024) before its horizon ended (2047).
The UN 2019 projection did not expect today's level (1.19, 2024) before its horizon ended (2097).
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.54 (+29% vs 2024), 2100 — 1.58 (+33% vs 2024); low variant for 2100: 1.08.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 9 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 2; median gap −2.7%.
The UN 2004 projection did not expect today's level (413k, 2024) before its horizon ended (2047).
The UN 2008 projection did not expect today's level (413k, 2024) before its horizon ended (2047).
National statistics for 2024: 413k, 18% below the UN 2024 medium variant (507k) and below its 95% interval.
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 457k (+11% vs 2024), 2100 — 291k (−30% vs 2024); low variant for 2100: 95.6k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 7 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 5; median gap −1.2%.
The UN 1998 projection expected this level (45.5M) already around 2020: reality is 3 years behind it.
The UN 2022 projection expected this level (45.5M) already around 2022: reality is 1 year behind it.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 48.3M (+6% vs 2023), 2100 — 38.3M (−16% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 25.2M.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (36 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 1.6 pp below the forecast; below it in 67% of cases; typical error ±4.2 pp. The biggest miss was for 2020: IMF, April 2019 expected 2.2%, the outcome was −9.9%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 3.5%, 2028 — 3.8%, 2031 — 3%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (26 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 19.2 pp above the forecast; below it in 38% of cases; typical error ±24.2 pp. The biggest miss was for 2024: IMF, April 2023 expected 60.1%, the outcome was 219.9%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 30.4%, 2028 — 9.6%, 2031 — 7.5%.
UN projections vs actual
Solid line: actual data, UN WPP 2024 estimates to 2023, then national statistics where comparable with the UN. Dashed: medium variants of past UN revisions. The table shows what each revision expected for the latest year (or five-year period) with actual data.
Population
persons, 1 July
Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 1998
2023
25 years
46.4M
45.5M
−1.9%
UN 2000
2023
23 years
46.4M
45.5M
−1.9%
UN 2002
2023
21 years
46.4M
45.5M
−1.8%
UN 2004
2023
19 years
45.5M
45.5M
+0.1%
UN 2006
2023
17 years
45.5M
45.5M
+0.1%
UN 2008
2023
15 years
45.3M
45.5M
+0.6%
UN 2010
2023
13 years
44.8M
45.5M
+1.7%
UN 2012
2023
11 years
44.8M
45.5M
+1.6%
UN 2015
2023
8 years
46.7M
45.5M
−2.5%
UN 2017
2023
6 years
46.7M
45.5M
−2.5%
UN 2019
2023
4 years
46.4M
45.5M
−1.9%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
45.8M
45.5M
−0.5%
Births
births per year
Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 1998
2015–2020
20 years
704k
683k
−3.1%
UN 2000
2015–2020
18 years
704k
683k
−3.1%
UN 2002
2015–2020
16 years
701k
683k
−2.7%
UN 2004
2015–2020
14 years
687k
683k
−0.6%
UN 2006
2015–2020
12 years
687k
683k
−0.6%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
679k
683k
+0.5%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
679k
683k
+0.5%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
686k
683k
−0.5%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
750k
683k
−8.9%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
750k
683k
−9%
UN 2022
2024
2 years
624k
413k
−33.7%
Total fertility rate
children per woman
Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 1998
2015–2020
20 years
2.10
2.07
−1.6%
UN 2000
2015–2020
18 years
2.10
2.07
−1.6%
UN 2002
2015–2020
16 years
2.10
2.07
−1.6%
UN 2004
2015–2020
14 years
2.08
2.07
−0.6%
UN 2006
2015–2020
12 years
2.08
2.07
−0.6%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
2.08
2.07
−0.6%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
2.10
2.07
−1.4%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
2.12
2.07
−2.5%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
2.27
2.07
−8.9%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
2.27
2.07
−8.9%
UN 2022
2024
2 years
1.85
1.19
−35.8%
IMF forecasts vs actual
Solid line: actual values from the latest IMF edition (data get revised, so we use the newest). Dashed: April editions, current year and five years ahead. The table covers next-year forecasts from all editions: mean error shows bias, mean absolute error shows accuracy.
Real GDP growth
% per year
Actual (IMF)
WEO, April editions
Indicator
Forecasts
Mean error
Mean absolute error
Actual below forecast
Real GDP growth
36
−1.6 pp
4.2 pp
67%
Inflation
26
+19.2 pp
24.2 pp
38%
Unemployment rate
29
−0.2 pp
1 pp
59%
Government gross debt
25
+14.9 pp
16.9 pp
28%
All indicators
Demography
Population
45.5M persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.