ANKARA
Turkey's total fertility rate became 2.08 children in 2012.
Turkey's statistical institute (TurkStat) announced on Tuesday the birth statistics of Turkey for 2012.
According to TurkStat, number of live births increased by 3.1 percent and became 1,279,864 in 2012, compared to 1,241,412 in 2011. 51 percent of the newborns were males and 49 percent of newborns were females.
The total fertility rate, which was 2.02 children in 2011, became 2.08 children in 2012. With this rate, a level close to the population replacement level (2.10) has been reached.
In 2012 the provinces which had the highest total fertility rate was southeastern provinces. Sanliurfa ranked first with 4.39 children, while Sirnak with 4.1 children, Agri with 4 children and Siirt with 3.8 children followed Sanliurfa. The province which had the lowest total fertility rate was western Kirklareli with 1.43 children. Eskisehir with 1.44 children, Edirne and Bartin each with 1.49 children followed the province of Kirklareli.
The highest total fertility rate was in "20-24" age group in 2001, since 2006 it has shifted to "25-29" age group. The highest age specific fertility rate was in "25-29" age group with 127 percent in 2012. In other words, the number of live births was 127 per 1,000 females in "25-29" age group.
While it was observed that the number of births to women aged less than 25 decreased, the largest increase in the number of births took place among women with "30-34" age group. The number of live born infants to the women in this age group reached to 303,224 in 2012 from 278,265 by increasing approximately 9 percent compared to 2011. The number of live born infants to the women with "35-39" and "40-44" age groups had increased correspondingly.
