Iran experiencing negative population growth, growing old

According to the latest National Organization for Civil Registration population estimates, Iran has a negative population growth rate with 1.8 percent birth rate in the past Iranian calendar year 1389 (which ended on March 20).

According to the report, the country’s natural population growth rate has fallen from 1.62 percent per year between 1997 and 2007 to 1.25 percent per year, and Iran may experience Zero Population Growth in the few upcoming years.

Persons aged 15 to 29 comprised the majority of the country’s population between 1997 and 2007 while persons aged 30 to 64 have been accounting for the majority of Iran’s population since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year 1390, which started on March 21.

The projections also indicate that the older ages will make up the majority of the country’s population since the year 2032.

According to the First Development Plan, which was part of the country’s main blueprint for long-term sustainable growth, it was expected that Iran’s population growth rate reaches 3.2 per cent per year in 1390, but the current rate stands at 2.3 percent.

It was also expected that the fertility rate reaches 4 births per woman in the year 1390, but the current rate is 1.8 births per woman. According to the report, foreign nationals accounts for 2.3 percent of the population.

Elsewhere in the report, it was mentioned that the marriage rate in 1389 was 12.1 percent per 1000 population, and the divorce rate was 1.9 percent per 1000 population.

The divorce rate also stood at 9.1 percent in 1389 while it was 13 percent in 1388. 137,200 divorces were registered in the country in 1389.

Source: Tehran Times