EXPERT CONCERNED OVER ARMENIA’S DEMOGRAPHY
Tert.am
23.08.11
At his meeting with journalists Aug. 23, the demographer Ruben Yeganyan
addressed the problem of “latent depopulation.” “We are going to have
more deaths that births soon,” he said.
The current birthrate is 1.7 in Armenia instead of 2.1 necessary for
natural reproduction of population.
“The present natural population growth is temporary. The situation
will change in a few years because of more deaths and fewer births,”
the expert said.
Socio-economic problems are the major reason for decline in birthrate.
Emigration accounts for 25 to 30 per cent as well. This tendency will
go on developing unless the government interferes, and the population’s
age structure may change. Referring to some research Yeganyan said
that Armenia is rated as a country with an ageing population.
“The government’s interference is a must,” he said. Supporting only
families with many children will not resolve the problem- large
families constitute a very small share of Armenia’s population.
Starting families should be encouraged, he said.