Part 4/8:
The crux of the issue lies in understanding birth rates on a broader scale. Many industrialized nations have birth rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. This statistic indicates a significant concern for the future workforce—especially in countries like Italy, where projections show an impending gap between the retiring population and the number of young individuals needed to take their place. The birth gap, which illustrates the shortfall in births necessary to sustain population levels, has reached alarming proportions across Europe and other developed nations.