The changing demographic and social profile of youth in Asia

Abstract

Data on recent demographic and social changes in Asia indicate how a permanent demographic transition from high to low fertility gives rise to a transitional, temporary, but quite predictable youth bulge. The 15- 24-year-old age group grows from about 16-18 percent of the total population to about 20-24 percent, then subsides to the pretransitional level some 30 years after the onset of fertility decline, and finally rests at a stable level of about 12 percent. Social elements of this youth transition include a shift to later marriage, rising school enrollment, changes in labor force participation, and changes in sexual behavior. These changes, and the pace at which they occur, have important implications for social policy.

The corresponding Asia-Pacific Population Research Abstract is available as a PDF file.