Baby boom

A sharp postwar rise in birth rates, especially from the mid-1940s through the 1960s in many countries. Its timing and scale varied across societies.

World War II: A global war fought from 1939 to 1945 between the Allied and Axis powers. The war’s end preceded the surge, as military demobilization and recovery reshaped family life.
Total fertility rate: The average number of children a woman would bear if current age-specific fertility rates continued. It captures changes in family size that contributed to the boom.
Generation: A group of people born and living around the same time, often shaped by shared historical conditions. The boom produced a large generation whose experiences varied across countries and communities.
Baby bust: A marked decline in birth rates following a period of higher fertility. Many countries experienced falling birth rates after their postwar boom ended.
Postwar economic expansion: Rapid economic growth and rising living standards in many industrialized countries after World War II. Greater prosperity made marriage, housing, and child-rearing more attainable for many families.
Crude birth rate: The number of live births per 1,000 people in a population during a year. This is a common measure for tracking the rise and subsequent decline in births.
Population aging: An increase in the share of older people in a population. As the large cohorts age, they contribute to population aging in countries where the boom occurred.
Great Depression: A severe worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted through much of the 1930s. Economic hardship and delayed family formation preceded the postwar rise in births.
Suburbanization: The growth of suburban populations and development around cities. New housing developments offered space for the larger households common during the boom.
Age-specific fertility rate: The number of births per 1,000 women in a particular age group during a year. It distinguishes increased childbearing from shifts in the population’s age composition.

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