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): 5.24 in 1950 → 1.48 in 2023 (−72%). Peak: 6.18 in 1959; the latest value is 76% lower. Thresholds: below 2.1 since 2003, below 1.5 since 2020. The trend broke around 1965 and 1976: +0.05 → −0.26 → −0.04 a year.
Births: 1.78k in 1950 → 0.74k in 2023 (−58%). Peak: 2.52k in 1961; the latest value is 71% lower. The trend broke around 1961 and 1974: +0.08k → −0.05k → −0.03k a year.
Population: 50.2k in 1950 → 66.5k in 2023 (+32%). The trend broke around 1976 and 1992: +0.94k → −0.26k → −0.05k a year.
Internet: 0% in 1990 → 82% in 2024 (+82 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 2001, above 50% since 2013. Fastest growth in 2000–2005: 8.8% → 38.5%.
Urban share: 37.9% in 1960 → 74% in 2025 (+36 pp). Threshold: above 50% since 1983. The trend broke around 1976 and 1989: +0.19 → +1.7 → +0.29 a year.
GDP per person (PPP): 11,312 PPP dollars in 1990 → 19,409 PPP dollars in 2025 (+72%). The trend broke around 2012 and 2019: +314 → −248 → +493 a year.
GDP growth: on average 5.8% in the 1980s, 2.3% in the 1990s, 2.6% in the 2000s, 0.6% in the 2010s, 0.8% in the 2020s. Lowest: −16.6% in 2020; highest: 13.4% in 1980.
Inflation: on average 6.8% in the 1980s, 2.3% in the 1990s, 2.0% in the 2000s, 0.8% in the 2010s, 3.0% in the 2020s. Lowest: −0.9% in 2015; highest: 23.9% in 1980.
What changed at the same time
The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1967–1977: 5.74 → 3.02. Over the same years: births 2.36k → 1.52k; population 65.6k → 72.4k; urban share 38.3% → 43.3%; no data for the others in those years.
Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 1.78 → 1.48; births 0.93k → 0.74k; population 69.7k → 66.5k; internet 51% → 81.3%; urban share 69.1% → 73.1%; GDP per person (PPP) 17,283 PPP dollars → 18,278 PPP dollars; GDP growth −1% → 4.7%; inflation 0% → 4.2%.
How the indicators relate
Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2023, 28 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.95); 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 urban share (1960–2023, 64 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.90); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.23). 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) (1990–2023, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.89); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.06). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Forecasts vs actual
Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 1 revisions (2022–2022) and above in none; median gap −6.3%.
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.50 (+1% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.56 (+5% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 1.06.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 1 revisions (2022–2022) and above in none; median gap −23%.
The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (0.74k, 2023) only around 2046: reality is 23 years ahead of it.
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 0.59k (−21% vs 2023), 2100 — 0.41k (−45% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 0.14k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 12 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in none; median gap −8.9%.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 63.2k (−5% vs 2023), 2100 — 49.1k (−26% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 31.8k.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (34 editions, 2007–2023). On average the outcome was 2.7 pp below the forecast; below it in 76% of cases; typical error ±4.2 pp. The biggest miss was for 2020: IMF, April 2019 expected 7%, the outcome was −16.6%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2025 — 4.5%, 2027 — 2.8%, 2031 — 2%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (36 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 0 pp below the forecast; below it in 69% of cases; typical error ±1.4 pp. The biggest miss was for 2022: IMF, April 2021 expected 2%, the outcome was 7.7%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 3%, 2028 — 2.2%, 2031 — 2.2%.
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
73k
66.5k
−8.9%
UN 2000
2023
23 years
70.2k
66.5k
−5.2%
UN 2002
2023
21 years
80.4k
66.5k
−17.3%
UN 2004
2023
19 years
91.9k
66.5k
−27.6%
UN 2006
2023
17 years
68.3k
66.5k
−2.6%
UN 2008
2023
15 years
67.8k
66.5k
−1.9%
UN 2010
2023
13 years
68.4k
66.5k
−2.7%
UN 2012
2023
11 years
75.4k
66.5k
−11.8%
UN 2015
2023
8 years
75.2k
66.5k
−11.5%
UN 2017
2023
6 years
76.1k
66.5k
−12.6%
UN 2019
2023
4 years
72.5k
66.5k
−8.3%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
73k
66.5k
−8.9%
Births
births per year
Actual
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 2022
2023
1 year
0.96k
0.74k
−23.4%
Total fertility rate
children per woman
Actual
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 2022
2023
1 year
1.58
1.48
−6.3%
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
34
−2.7 pp
4.2 pp
76%
Inflation
36
0 pp
1.4 pp
69%
Government gross debt
26
+7.3 pp
11.1 pp
31%
All indicators
Demography
Population
66.5k persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.