The lowest ten: at least the UK isn't there

In terms of fertility rates, Britain ranks 143rd.

Here are the countries with the ten lowest fertility rates. The bottom six are all in East Asia. Collectively, they used to be known as the Asian Tigers. Judging by this table, it seems they were producing too many cars and electronics and not enough people.

Japan's fertility rate is shocking. It is just over one birth per woman. Perhaps, Japan is a vision of the future for Europe. During the 1980s, it had an massive asset bubble, which burst around 1989. Since then, it has suffered from 20 years of near zero growth, an ageing population and a massive build up of public debt. It is hard to see a way out from this demographic trap.