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): 4.36 in 1950 → 1.80 in 2023 (−59%). Peak: 4.63 in 1951; the latest value is 61% lower. Threshold: below 2.1 since 1986. The trend broke around 1974: change slowed down (−0.1 → −0.02 a year).
Births: 12.4k in 1950 → 6.98k in 2023 (−44%). Peak: 15k in 1954; the latest value is 53% lower. The trend broke around 1956 and 1968: +0.28k → −0.25k → −0.08k a year.
Population: 403k in 1950 → 634k in 2023 (+57%). The trend broke around 1980 and 1997: +5.94k → +2.99k → −0.84k a year.
Internet: 25.4% in 2004 → 88.9% in 2024 (+64 pp). Threshold: above 50% since 2012. Fastest growth in 2011–2016: 35.6% → 69.9%.
Urban share: 24.6% in 1960 → 65.6% in 2025 (+41 pp). Threshold: above 50% since 1993. The trend broke around 2008: change slowed down (+0.74 → +0.1 a year).
GDP per person (PPP): 14,639 PPP dollars in 1997 → 28,895 PPP dollars in 2025 (+97%). Low: 13,993 PPP dollars in 1999; +106% since then. The trend broke around 2019: change sped up (+424 → +937 a year).
GDP growth: on average 3.4% in the 2000s, 2.8% in the 2010s, 3.0% in the 2020s. Lowest: −15% in 2020; highest: 13% in 2021.
Inflation: on average 10.5% in the 2000s, 1.6% in the 2010s, 5.2% in the 2020s. Lowest: −0.7% in 2014; highest: 29.9% in 2000.
What changed at the same time
The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1954–1964: 4.49 → 3.28. Over the same years: births 15k → 13.1k; population 434k → 497k; urban share 28.6% (1964); no data for the others in those years.
Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 1.74 → 1.80; births 7.95k → 6.98k; population 633k → 634k; internet 60.3% → 88.6%; urban share 64.6% → 65.5%; GDP per person (PPP) 20,201 PPP dollars → 27,243 PPP dollars; GDP growth 3.4% → 6.5%; inflation 2.2% → 8.6%.
How the indicators relate
Fertility (TFR) and internet (2004–2023, 20 years): levels are barely related (r = 0.27); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.25).
Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2023, 64 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.93); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.03). 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) (1997–2023, 27 years): levels are barely related (r = −0.14); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.04).
Forecasts vs actual
Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 7 revisions (2006–2022) and above in 6; median gap +8.3%.
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.73 (−4% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.69 (−6% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 1.19.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 2 of 7 revisions (2006–2022) and above in 5; median gap +4.4%.
The UN 2006 projection expected today's level (6.98k, 2023) only around 2027: reality is 4 years ahead of it.
The UN 2019 projection expected today's level (6.98k, 2023) only around 2025: reality is 2 years ahead of it.
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 5.04k (−28% vs 2023), 2100 — 2.46k (−65% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 0.62k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 8 revisions (2006–2022) and above in 7; median gap +1%.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 533k (−16% vs 2023), 2100 — 326k (−49% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 200k.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (34 editions, 2008–2024). On average the outcome was 0.9 pp below the forecast; below it in 47% of cases; typical error ±3.6 pp. The biggest miss was for 2020: IMF, April 2019 expected 2.5%, the outcome was −15%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 2.8%, 2028 — 3.2%, 2031 — 3%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (34 editions, 2008–2024). On average the outcome was 0.6 pp above the forecast; below it in 44% of cases; typical error ±2.1 pp. The biggest miss was for 2022: IMF, April 2021 expected 1%, the outcome was 13%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 3.2%, 2028 — 2.3%, 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 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
2023
17 years
613k
634k
+3.4%
UN 2008
2023
15 years
633k
634k
+0.2%
UN 2010
2023
13 years
636k
634k
−0.4%
UN 2012
2023
11 years
617k
634k
+2.7%
UN 2015
2023
8 years
624k
634k
+1.5%
UN 2017
2023
6 years
629k
634k
+0.8%
UN 2019
2023
4 years
628k
634k
+0.9%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
626k
634k
+1.1%
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
7.74k
7.44k
−3.9%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
7.56k
7.44k
−1.6%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
7.12k
7.44k
+4.4%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
6.92k
7.44k
+7.5%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
6.96k
7.44k
+6.9%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
7.02k
7.44k
+5.9%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
6.77k
6.98k
+3.1%
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
1.85
1.79
−3%
UN 2008
2015–2020
10 years
1.72
1.79
+4.7%
UN 2010
2015–2020
8 years
1.59
1.79
+12.6%
UN 2012
2015–2020
6 years
1.64
1.79
+9.4%
UN 2015
2015–2020
2 years
1.66
1.79
+8.4%
UN 2017
2015–2020
0 years
1.66
1.79
+8.3%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
1.67
1.80
+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
34
−0.9 pp
3.6 pp
47%
Inflation
34
+0.6 pp
2.1 pp
44%
Government gross debt
28
+2.3 pp
10 pp
46%
All indicators
Demography
Population
634k persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.