Assignment #3 Magne Nielsen

Spain

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Birth rate: 10.66 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 81.17 years

Health expenditure 9.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 3.705 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population growth rate: 0.574% (2011 est.)

Paraguay:

Religions: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Birth rate: 17.48 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 76.19 years

Health expenditure: 7.1% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.284% (2011 est.)

France:

Religions:Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

Birth rate: 12.29 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 81.19 years

Health expenditure: 3.5% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 3.497 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 0.5% (2011 est.)

Chile:

Religions: Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

Birth rate: 14.33 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years

Health expenditure: 8.2% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2003)

Population growth rate: 0.836% (2011 est.)

Colombia:

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Birth rate: 17.49 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 74.55 years

Health expenditure: 6.4% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.156% (2011 est.)

Bolivia:

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Birth rate: 24.71 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 67.57 years

Health expenditure: 4.8% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.22 physicians/1,000 population (2001)

Population growth rate: 1.694% (2011 est.)

OUTGROUP:

Madagascar:

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Birth rate: 37.51 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 63.63 years

Health expenditure: 6.2% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 0.161 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Population growth rate: 2.973% (2011 est.)

Turkey:

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Birth rate: 17.93 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 72.5 years

Health expenditure: 6.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.451 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 1.235% (2011 est.)

Norway:

Religions: Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Birth rate: 10.84 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 80.2 years

Health expenditure: 9.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 4.076 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 0.329% (2011 est.)

The assumption that countries with a high number of catholic inhabitants would have higher birth rates than other countries is, as the data above indicates, false. This could be expected due to that the fact that the catholic church does not allow for the use of artificial birth control. However, the average birth rate among the chosen catholic countries in this research is 16,16 births/1000 population. Among the catholic countries chosen the birth rate varies from the lowest number, 10,66 in Spain to the highest in Bolivia with 24,71. When compared to the average birth rate among the non-catholic countries chosen for this research the birth rate is actually lower for the catholic countries, 16,16 to 22,09/1000. It should be mentioned that Madagascar with a birth rate of 37,51 is a strong contribution to this.

Furthermore, we can see that in countries like France, Spain and Norway, all countries located in Europe, the birth rates are around the same level, around 10-12 per 1000. These countries also have a high density of physicians and low infant mortality rate, indicating that the health care is well developed in these countries. This we can also see through long life expectancy. On the other side of the scale we can see that the countries with the highest birth rates are located in less developed areas such as Africa (Madagascar) and in South America (Bolivia). These countries also have a higher infant mortality rate and lower life expectancy. These are indicators for less developed health care system and society.

Rather than the assumption that religion and birth rates are correlated, we can see a relationship between health care and birth rates. In countries where the birth rates are higher, the infant mortality rate is higher, and the health care is less developed.