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): 5.18 in 1950 → 1.49 in 2023 (−71%). Peak: 6.79 in 1959; the latest value is 78% lower. Thresholds: below 2.1 since 2009, below 1.5 since 2023. The trend broke around 1959 and 1973: +0.19 → −0.23 → −0.05 a year.
Births: 2.77k in 1950 → 1.37k in 2023 (−50%). Peak: 4.59k in 1960; the latest value is 70% lower. The trend broke around 1960 and 1974: +0.2k → −0.13k → −0.03k a year.
Population: 77.3k in 1950 → 117k in 2023 (+52%). The trend broke around 1964 and 1982: +1.66k → −0.21k → +0.57k a year.
Internet: 0% in 1990 → 70.2% in 2024 (+70 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 2002, above 50% since 2014. Fastest growth in 2009–2014: 24.1% → 51.6%.
Urban share: 30.4% in 1960 → 36.7% in 2025 (+6.3 pp). The trend broke around 1993 and 1999: +0.09 → +0.3 → +0.02 a year.
GDP per person (PPP): 8,884 PPP dollars in 1990 → 18,241 PPP dollars in 2025 (+105%). Low: 8,548 PPP dollars in 1993; +113% since then.
GDP growth: on average 5.7% in the 1980s, 3.5% in the 1990s, 2.5% in the 2000s, 2.8% in the 2010s, 1.6% in the 2020s. Lowest: −13.8% in 2020; highest: 15.1% in 1980.
Inflation: on average 7.2% in the 1980s, 2.7% in the 1990s, 2.9% in the 2000s, 1.1% in the 2010s, 1.4% in the 2020s. Lowest: −1% in 2014; highest: 21.8% in 1980.
What changed at the same time
The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1961–1971: 6.63 → 4.31. Over the same years: births 4.59k → 3.32k; population 95.3k → 98.7k; urban share 30.6% → 32.3%; no data for the others in those years.
Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 1.91 → 1.49; births 1.75k → 1.37k; population 114k → 117k; internet 35% → 69.4%; urban share 35.9% → 36.5%; GDP per person (PPP) 13,386 PPP dollars → 17,093 PPP dollars; GDP growth 2.4% → 4.5%; inflation 0% → 2.7%.
How the indicators relate
Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2023, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.95); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.00). 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 = −0.94); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.15). 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 = −0.96); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.18). 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 7 of 7 revisions (2006–2022) and above in none; median gap −25%.
The UN 2006 projection did not expect today's level (1.49, 2023) before its horizon ended (2047).
The UN 2022 projection did not expect today's level (1.49, 2023) before its horizon ended (2100).
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.48 (−1% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.54 (+4% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 1.04.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 7 of 7 revisions (2006–2022) and above in none; median gap −27%.
The UN 2006 projection expected today's level (1.37k, 2023) only around 2037: reality is 14 years ahead of it.
The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (1.37k, 2023) only around 2071: reality is 48 years ahead of it.
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 0.96k (−30% vs 2023), 2100 — 0.53k (−61% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 0.14k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 2 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 10; median gap +7.7%.
The UN 2004 projection expected this level (117k) already around 2014: reality is 9 years behind it.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 113k (−3% vs 2023), 2100 — 73.9k (−37% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 45.7k.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (36 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 1 pp below the forecast; below it in 47% of cases; typical error ±3.5 pp. The biggest miss was for 2020: IMF, October 2019 expected 2.7%, the outcome was −13.8%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 3.1%, 2028 — 3%, 2031 — 2.7%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (34 editions, 2007–2023). On average the outcome was 0.8 pp below the forecast; below it in 71% of cases; typical error ±1.8 pp. The biggest miss was for 2008: IMF, April 2007 expected 2%, the outcome was 8%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2025 — 0.6%, 2027 — 1.6%, 2031 — 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
104k
117k
+13%
UN 2000
2023
23 years
99.3k
117k
+18%
UN 2002
2023
21 years
74.4k
117k
+57.5%
UN 2004
2023
19 years
132k
117k
−11.1%
UN 2006
2023
17 years
108k
117k
+8.8%
UN 2008
2023
15 years
109k
117k
+7.5%
UN 2010
2023
13 years
109k
117k
+7.9%
UN 2012
2023
11 years
109k
117k
+7.9%
UN 2015
2023
8 years
111k
117k
+5.8%
UN 2017
2023
6 years
111k
117k
+5.9%
UN 2019
2023
4 years
114k
117k
+2.8%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
126k
117k
−7.2%
Births
births per year
Actual
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 2006
2015–2020
12 years
2.03k
1.45k
−28.5%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
1.97k
1.45k
−26.5%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
1.93k
1.45k
−25.1%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
1.95k
1.45k
−25.7%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
1.98k
1.45k
−26.8%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
1.97k
1.45k
−26.3%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
1.92k
1.37k
−28.7%
Total fertility rate
children per woman
Actual
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 2006
2015–2020
12 years
2.10
1.55
−26.3%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
2.10
1.55
−26.3%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
2.06
1.55
−24.7%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
2.07
1.55
−25.2%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
2.08
1.55
−25.3%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
2.07
1.55
−25.2%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
1.96
1.49
−24.3%
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
36
−1 pp
3.5 pp
47%
Inflation
34
−0.8 pp
1.8 pp
71%
Government gross debt
26
+1.4 pp
12.8 pp
46%
All indicators
Demography
Population
117k persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.