Demographic Transition in Argentina

COLANTONIO, S., CELTON, D., PERANOVICH, A.

Atenas

Conferencia; First Annual International Conference on Demography and Population Studies; 2014

THE ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Demographic transition, epidemiological transition, changes inpopulation. And these changes in the living conditions of thepopulation of Argentina in the last hundred years allow us to estimatethat a girl born this year may have an average life of 79 years, almostdouble of a girl born a hundred years ago. What factors led to this gainin life expectancy in Argentina? Who were the main beneficiaries? Howthese changes occurred?Argentina is in an advanced stage of the Demographic Transitionthat began in the late nineteenth century, when mortality and fertilityrates decreased with the simultaneous arrival of mass immigrationform overseas. The significant decline in mortality that preceded thefertility led to an increase in life expectancy at birth, close to 33 years inthe late nineteenth century to 48.5 in 1914.Changes in patterns of reproductive behavior and the production ofhealth policies generated effects on fertility and mortality in thepopulation. Alongside, these factors were associated with cultural andsocial behaviors that had significant impact on the family environment.In recent years, Argentina is moving towards what is called seconddemographic transition characterized by the decline in marriage andincrease in domestic partnerships and divorces, major changes in thestructure of families and changes in reproductive patterns.In this document the evolution of mortality, fertility and lifeexpectancy at birth is presented: the change in these indicators allow usto observe, over time, the changes occurred during much of thetwentieth century and its main effects such as an aging population andchanges in families.