An elementary school in Yimianpo is now a storage yard. The number of children in the town has dropped by half and there are fewer than three births per 1,000 residents in the province — China's lowest rate.
In Greece, fewer babies means difficult decisions, especially on remote islands where low birth rates are forcing some schools to close and raising questions about the future of island culture.
Chilean families are having only one child on average. U.S. birthrates are also dropping but it's unclear whether the U.S. will follow into the growing group of "very low" birthrate countries.
Pronatalists believe that modern culture has failed to adequately prioritize the value of nuclear families and making lots of babies. They see powerful potential allies in Elon Musk and JD Vance.
Ukraine is suffering from more than a Russian invasion. Births have plummeted. But many families with help from the government and doctors are trying to buck the trend and have a child in wartime.
In a rare admission, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country's birth rate is too low. Experts see no working solution for a looming population crisis.
For years, Japanese leaders have tried to halt the country's falling birthrate. They might find lessons in the city of Akashi, whose population has been growing.
The Russian invasion has cemented the decision for many couples to opt out of having babies, in a country that struggled with incredibly low fertility rates long before the war.
Tuesday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp must testify before the Fulton County special grand jury, but he won't appear until after the midterms. Plus, DA Willis calls Sen. Lindsey Graham's attempt to avoid testifying "erroneous." Meanwhile, there's a declining birth rate in 123 Georgia counties.
For the sixth year in a row, the number of U.S. births fell in 2020, reaching the lowest level since 1979. The fertility rate remains "below replacement" — the level needed to compensate for deaths.
