Reserve funds linked to fewer young females
Comparing Reserve tranche position, SDR, per capita with Population ages 10-14, female, per capita across 189 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.62
- Holding size constant
- -0.47
- Countries compared
- 189
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship between a country's reserve tranche position and the proportion of young females may be influenced by economic development, as countries with stronger economies tend to have more reserve funds and lower birth rates. A careful reader should consider education as a likely confounder, as it can impact both economic growth and demographic trends. The correlation does not imply a direct link between the two indicators.
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 by overlooking other factors driving economic development and demographic changes.
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.