The decline of fertility in Costa Rica: Literacy, modernization and family planning

Abstract

At mid-century when Costa Rica's birth rate was among the world's highest, marked fertility differences were recorded among the country's 68 cantons. Literacy levels and sex ratios largely account for the early differences, which were due to variations both in age at marriage and in marital fertility. Dramatic fertility declines were initiated in the 1960s in cantons in which literacy was higher and overall modernization more advanced. In a second phase, however, fertility in the less modernized cantons declined rapidly, especially where rates of family planning acceptance were high. Costa Rica's unusually high literacy early in the century and more recent gains in post-primary education are suggested as factors which precipitated the initial decline in fertility, with the national family planning programme serving to diffuse fertility control to less developed regions of the country.

This research benefited from the assistance of Professor R. C. Avery, especially at the stage of refining the variables used; and from S. Fridman, graduate assistant, at the stage of computation and analysis. Initial work was carried out under an AID grant, no. pha-C-1174, with subsequent contributions from the Center for International Studies, Cornell University.

This research benefited from the assistance of Professor R. C. Avery, especially at the stage of refining the variables used; and from S. Fridman, graduate assistant, at the stage of computation and analysis. Initial work was carried out under an AID grant, no. pha-C-1174, with subsequent contributions from the Center for International Studies, Cornell University.

Notes

This research benefited from the assistance of Professor R. C. Avery, especially at the stage of refining the variables used; and from S. Fridman, graduate assistant, at the stage of computation and analysis. Initial work was carried out under an AID grant, no. pha-C-1174, with subsequent contributions from the Center for International Studies, Cornell University.