The Routledge Handbook of African Demography

Clifford O. Odimegwu, Yemi Adewoyin, Clifford O. Odimegwu, Yemi Adewoyin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781000518726
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Demography
• Index: Social Sciences

This handbook provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of African population dynamics, variations, causes and consequences, demonstrating the real-world applications of research in policies and programmes.African demography has come of age. Over 50 years, the discipline has grown exponentially in the number of training and research institutions, specialist experts and academic output, all with an aim of addressing the enormous demographic challenges faced by the continent. The book draws on old and emerging analytical tools to explore the relationships between population dynamics and social, economic, cultural and political environments from African perspectives. Key topics include fertility, sexual behaviours, healthcare, ageing, mortality, migration, displacement, the causes and consequences of demographic changes and teaching and research developments in African demography. The Routledge Handbook of African Demography will be an essential resource for students and researchers of African demography, sociology, development and cultural studies.

PART 1 Introductory chapters

1 INTRODUCTION

DOI: 10.4324/9780429287213-2

Clifford O. Odimegwu and Yemi Adewoyin

Introduction

The world’s population is set to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, with over 50% of growth occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Interestingly, the world has experienced tremendous demographic changes evident in declines in fertility and mortality – both of which have been associated with rapid economic growth in many developed countries (Lee & Mason, 2010). Sub-Saharan Africa alike has witnessed some slow-paced changes in its demographic profile consisting of changes in the patterns of fertility, mortality, and migration. Compared with the experience of other world regions, sub-Saharan Africa stands out not only in terms of fertility levels and its indices such as the onset of marriage and childbearing, longer birth intervals, persistence of high ideal family size, and low level of contraceptive use but also with regard to mortality and migration (Bongaarts & Casterline, 2013; A. C. Ezeh, Mberu, & Emina, 2009; Hertrich, 2017; Timaeus & Moultrie, 2008).

While declines in fertility levels have been slow paced in many sub-Saharan African countries, the fertility level is still substantially higher in Africa than elsewhere (Bongaarts & Casterline, 2013). The level of fertility in sub-Saharan Africa is about 5.1 births per woman, a level much lower now than expected (Bongaarts & Casterline, 2013), with wide variations among the regions. For example, the total fertility level in Southern Africa is lower and about half the fertility level of other regions (Gerland, Biddlecom, & Kantorová, 2017). Even across countries, there are wide variations, ranging from less than two births per woman in Mauritius to about eight births per woman in the republic of Niger (Gerland et al., 2017).

Multiple factors have contributed to the observed patterns in fertility decline. For example, the increased use of modern...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Table of Contents Page
• List of Figures Page
• List of Tables Page
• List of Contributors Page
• Foreword Page
• Preface Page
• Acknowledgements Page
• PART 1 Introductory chapters
• PART 2 Demographic training and research
• PART 3 Marriage, fertility and SRH
• PART 4 Gender in African demography
• PART 5 Environment, health and demography
• PART 6 Migration
• PART 7 Demographic dividend
• PART 8 Ageing
• PART 9 Mortality
• PART 10 Concluding matters
• Index