Birth Rates and Prevalence of Singlehood in Last 15 Years

Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Prime Minister over the last 15 years what has been (i) the birth rate among married couples; and (ii) the percentage of single Singaporeans.

Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Singapore faces the challenge of declining birth rates. The last time that the resident Total Fertility Rate (TFR) was above the replacement level of 2.1 was in 1976. The resident TFR was 1.20 in 2011.

Ever married females are having fewer children over time. From 1996 to 2011, the average number of children born to ever-married citizen females aged 30-39 declined from 1.89 to 1.52. Over the same period, the average number of children born to ever-married citizen females aged 40-49 has declined from 2.32 to 2.06. (Please refer to Chart 1.)

The proportion of single Singaporeans has been rising. Among Singaporean men aged 30-34, the proportion of singles rose from 35% in 1995 to 44% in 2011. Among Singaporean women aged 30-34, the proportion of singles rose from 21% in 1995 to 31% in 2011. (Please refer to Chart 2.)

Page: 344