Proud of astonishing fertility decline and unaware of accelerated aging (1950-2000)

Abstract

The rapid decrease of the birth rate after the 1950’s encouraged the fast and unavoid- able ageing process of the Costa Rican population. This article presents an outlook of this process, very fast for dependent economies and different from the demographic situation of developed countries which first enriched and then grew old. The analysis of this process is based on the comparison of the information about population of the census made in Costa Rica in the period of 1950-2000. Moreover, the taxonomy of the different states of the demographic transition of the region is presented by means of a comparison between Latin-American countries. Additionally, the demographic structure and dynamics of senior citizens and the indicators of aging in the population –proportion of persons older than 60 years old in the population, relation of potential economic dependency, ageing index, reason for dependency– are detailed. The effects of ageing with feminine characteristics, which increase inequalities, and the demographic bond, which would allow the readjustment of priorities while the baby booms achieve massively and inevitably older ages, are described.