Demographic trends in Sub-Saharan Africa
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World Fertility Survey
Senegal
Ivory Coast
East Africa
Benin
Kenya
Ghana
Cameron
Sudan
Lesotho
South Africa
surveys
data
demographic trends
mortality
fertility
total fertility rate
vital statistics
civil registration
vital registration
fertility estimates
life expectancy
polygyny
breastfeeding
abstinence
Sub-Saharan Africa
death rate
estimates
birth rate
fertility trends
Morocco
Tunisia
Egypt
Mauritania
North Sudan
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Abstract
The study of demographic trends in sub-Saharan Africa though crucial in the assessment of the impact of population size and growth on the overall socio-economic development in the region, has received the least attention due to lack of reliable data for most of the countries. This paper focuses on the utilization of available data secured through population censuses and demographic surveys particularly the World Fertility Survey to ascertain trends in fertility and mortality. The estimates derived from the above sources should be interpreted with caution since they suffer from diverse deficiencies in the data base particularly coverage, content and consistency. It is apparent, though debatable, from the available estimates that fertility has increased in some countries--Kenya and Cameroon; has remained almost stable in Benin, Ivory Coast and Lesotho; and has slightly declined in Ghana. The underlying factors with regard to the apparent increase hinge on the improvement in the socio-economic indicators i.e. education and health services; relaxation of traditional controls i.e. breastfeeding and post-partum abstinence; and a reduction in the level of sterility. As far as trends in mortality are concerned, the estimates posit a decline in both infant and child mortality in Kenya, Benin and Ivory Coast; infant mortality in Cameroon; and child mortality in North Sudan and Senegal. Overall mortality levels are high in Western and Central Africa and low in Eastern and Southern Africa.