Population Ageing in the Caribbean

By Paul Andrew Bourne


Demographic transition in the Caribbean is in keeping with the rest of the world. In that, total fertility for 1970-1975 for the world was 4.49 and for 2000-2005, it fell to 2.65. Whereas in Latin America and the Caribbean between 1970 and 1975 it was 5.05 and this was further reduced to 2.55 in 2000-2005. Concurrently, in 2005, total fertility in Bahamas is 2.2, in Barbados it is 1.5, for Jamaica 2.3 and for Trinidad and Tobago, 1.6 (United Nations 2006:87-89). Barbados and twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago are experiencing below replacement level fertility, a problem presently faced by many developed nations such as those in Southern and Easter Europe and the United States and Canada, to name a few countries. In addition, mortality in the Caribbean has been falling coupled with increased life expectancies that are comparable with those in developed nations, beyond 71 years, which according to Rowland (2003:18) are components within the demographic transition model. I will present a pictorial representation of Jamaica’s population pyramid, which will show the state of population ageing come 2050. I will repeat, the reality is demographic ageing is here to stay.


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