Female 40-44 growth rate relates to total population growth
Comparing Total population (thousands), annual growth rate with Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate across 211 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.63
- Holding size constant
- +0.57
- Countries compared
- 211
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The correlation might be driven by overall demographic trends, such as changes in fertility rates or mortality rates. A careful reader should consider the potential impact of urbanization, which could be a likely confounder. The relationship may not be directly causal, but rather a reflection of broader societal shifts.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead if it is interpreted as a direct causal link between the two indicators, rather than a potential association driven by underlying demographic factors.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.