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Ethnic fertility differentials in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Swee-Hock Saw
Affiliation:
Department of Economics and Statistics, National University of Singapore

Summary

Differences in fertility between the three major ethnic groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore have existed since before the onset of fertility decline in the late 1950s and remain today, although the relative positions and the actual differences have changed due to the varying rates of decline. By 1987, the Malays experienced the highest fertility and the Chinese the lowest in both countries but in Singapore the Malay fertility was lower than the Chinese fertility in Peninsular Malaysia. The fertility differentials will lead to changes in the ethnic composition in both countries but more so in Peninsular Malaysia.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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