JAMAICA is reporting a marginal decrease in the number of live births registered.

The 2001 provisional statistics provided by the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) said that live birth registration amounted to 53,659 for that year. For 2000 the figure was 54,035, a decline of 376.

The north-eastern region, which comprises the parishes of Portland, St Mary and St Ann, recorded the sharpest decline in live birth registration. Figures indicate that in 2000, there were 6,900 live births registered compared with 7,630 in 2001, a decline of 730.

This decline remains consistent with the trend for the north-eastern region as it continues to record the lowest live birth registration in the country.

Also showing a decline in the number of live births registered are the western region, which covers the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St James and Trelawny, and the southern region that includes Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth.

The data for the western region shows a decrease from 10,300 in 2000 to 9,964 in 2001 while in the southern region, live birth registration decreased by 75, from 12,102 in 2000 to 12,027 in 2001.

However, the south-eastern region had an opposite trend. Statistics for the parishes of Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine and St Thomas show a significant increase. In 2000, the total was 24,003 with the future rising to 24,768 in 2001.

Specifically, St Catherine recorded the highest increase, from 6,34 live birth registrations in 2000 to 8,462 in 2001 — an increase of 2,118. Meanwhile, figures for the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew combined, decreased from 15,798 in 2000 to 14,531 in 2001.

While the north-eastern region displays an overall low level of live birth registration, Hanover continues to have the lowest rate in the country, although figures indicate a minuscule increase from 674 in 2000 to 688 in 2001.

For 2001, the highest level of registrations for birth stood at 5,999 in January. October followed close behind with 5,340 and the slowest month on record for the year was June with 3,500 registrations for live births.

Over the past 40 years, Jamaica has been experiencing a significant drop in birth rate. Factors including migration and an increase in family planning have contributed to this decline.

World Population Day was marked yesterday, July 11. The day is designed annually by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to create awareness among people regarding the adverse effects of high population growth. It was first celebrated in 1987, the year the world’s population was estimated to have surpassed five billion.

The planet is currently home to more than six billion people, with half the global population being under the age of 25, inhabiting poorer countries.