In 2022, Taiwan recorded its lowest ever birth rate - 0.89 births per woman, far below the population maintenance rate of 2.1 births per woman. Taiwan, alongside Japan and South Korea, has long been at the bottom of global fertility charts.
One factor contributing to this trend is the financial burden of raising a child. In addition, the societal pressure on mothers to give up on their careers and act as the primary childcarer has encouraged many women to forgo having children altogether.
As a result of the low fertility rate, Taiwan’s population is rapidly aging and will likely shrink 26% by 2070. Experts believe that government support will be required to slow Taiwan’s population decline.