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Continuing fertility transitions in a plural society: ethnic trends and differentials in Peninsular Malaysia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Lin Lean Lim ,
Gavin W. Jones  and
Charles Hirschman
Lin Lean Lim
Affiliation:
Department of Demography, Australian National University, Canberra.
Gavin W. Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Demography, Australian National University, Canberra.
Charles Hirschman
Affiliation:
Department of Demography, Australian National University, Canberra.
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Summary

Fertility in Peninsular Malaysia has declined continuously from the late 1950s, reaching a TFR of 3735 in 1983. All ethnic groups in Malaysia have contributed to this modern demographic transition but the rate of change has been most rapid for Chinese and Indians, Malay fertility having reached a plateau in the early 1980s. The effect of age structure, marital patterns and marital fertility (by parity) on the fertility declines for each ethnic community are analysed. Continuation of current trends would lead to replacement-level fertility for Malaysian Chinese and Indians by the year 2000. Malay fertility is likely to continue to decline but at a more moderate pace.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , October 1987 , pp. 405 - 425
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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