Effects of Mortality and Fertility on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2005

The study assesses the trend and pattern of mortality and fertility rates and investigates the direction of causality between fertility and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). My goal is to evaluate the impact of mortality and fertility rates on the economic growth in SSA from 1970 to 2005. While many regions of the world are already experiencing declines in mortality and fertility rates, and increases in economic growth and development; the mortality rate is still high in SSA, the fertility rate is rigidly downwards, and economic growth is also very low. Using secondary data, the study reveals that one-way causality runs from fertility to economic growth and high mortality and fertility rates are contributing to low economic growth in SSA.