This document analyzes the socioeconomic determinants of fertility in Ethiopia using data from the 2005 Demographic and Health Survey. It finds that higher levels of education, urban residence, participation in the labor force, and higher economic status are associated with lower fertility. In contrast, higher child mortality is correlated with increased fertility. The results suggest that as Ethiopia develops economically and socially, its total fertility rate will continue declining through factors like increased education, women's empowerment, and access to family planning resources.

1. Socioeconomic Determinants of Fertility in Ethiopia Fanaye Tadesse ESSP II January 26, 2011

4. Conceptual framework TFR Age at first marriage Postpartum infecundity Contraceptive use Induced abortion Socio-economic characteristics Proximate determinants

8. Place of residence Education Description Residence Percentage Urban 17.8 Rural 82.2 Education Percentage No education 65.9 Primary 22.2 Secondary 10.5 Higher 1.4

9. Descriptive – variables of interest Variable Urban Rural Number of children born 3.43 1.53 Desired number of children 5.35 3.68 Number of children for women between ages 40-49 7.29 4.79 Age 27 28 Child mortality 0.56 0.16 Variable Percentage Religion Christian 65.76 Muslim 32.14 other 2.07 Labor force participation 39.83 Listens to the radio at least once a week 47.5

12. Results – Whole sample Children ever born Completed (or near completed) Fertility Desired children age 0.2628*** 0.035 0.045*** age squared -0.003*** primary educ 0.030 -0.543 -0.429*** secondary educ -0.194*** -0.673 -0.306** higher educ -0.290*** -2.937 -0.375** Labor force participation -0.093*** -0.774*** -0.161** christian -0.012 -0.032 -0.669*** other religion -0.037 -0.356 0.149 child mortality 0.113*** 0.627*** listens to radio 0.077 0.737*** -0.126* urban -0.148*** -0.562*** -0.644*** poor -0.101*** -0.717** -0.060* middle -0.167*** -1.368*** -0.073 rich -0.197*** -1.518*** -0.085 richer -0.256** -1.708* -0.237 ever married 2.403*** 0.848*** N 13769 1663 12411

13. Results – Urban Children ever born Completed Fertility Desired children age 0.083*** 0.103** 0.051*** age squared -0.001*** primary educ -0.005 -0.162 -0.242** secondary educ -0.051** 0.256 -0.336*** higher educ -0.087*** -1.592 -0.467 Labor force participation -0.052*** -0.554*** -0.074 christian -0.080*** -1.452*** -1.332*** other religion -0.104 -1.353 -2.380*** child mortality 0.068*** 0.714*** listens to radio 0.005 -0.027 0.068 poor -0.009 0.586 -0.318*** middle -0.030 0.685 -0.161 rich -0.025 0.268 -0.172 richer -0.026 0.119 -0.039 ever married 1.326*** 0.282*** N 4253 464 4017

14. Results – Rural Children ever born Completed Fertility Desired children age 0.364*** 0.040 0.058*** age squared -0.004*** primary educ 0.078 -0.265 -0.404*** secondary educ -0.172** -2.647 -0.735*** higher educ -0.915*** -1.094** Labor force participation -0.119** -0.694*** -0.166** christian 0.036 0.197 -0.723*** other religion -0.011 -0.264 0.505* child mortality 0.151*** 0.619*** listens to radio 0.127*** 0.686** -0.233*** poor -0.145*** -0.463* -0.051 middle -0.234*** -0.879** -0.083 rich -0.305*** -1.545*** -0.345*** richer -0.364*** -1.575*** -0.241*** ever married 2.634*** 0.884*** N 9516 1199 8405