FERTILITY AND GEOPOLITICS | HOW NATIONS ARE SHAPED BY NUMBERS
Global Affairs Session 48 04 June 2026 FERTILITY AND GEOPOLITICS A shrinking planet reshapes power Global fertility is falling toward, and in most countries below, the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, with the UN putting the world average near 2.25. India's own rate has dropped to about 1.9, with sharp regional and rural-urban gaps. As some nations age and shrink while others stay young and grow, fertility is quietly reshaping labour forces, militaries, tax bases and the balance of global power.