for information about population issues in India as a whole.

for a table of data comparing population and development data in Kerala to the UK and India as a whole.

The position of women
Kerala's success is thanks to the state government's priority in meeting the basic needs of people, especially young mothers. Compared to other parts of India, women have been treated differently in Kerala for over a century. Keralese women are regarded as an asset rather than a drain on a family's finances. Instead of paying out a dowry when daughters marry, parents in Kerala receive money from the bridegroom's family. Some women can inherit and own land, giving them financial independence and power of their own.

Another clear difference is their level of education. 85% of women in Kerala are literate, and girls outnumber boys in higher education. Women with qualifications are more likely to work, and marry later. The average age of marriage for women in Kerala is the highest in India, which again reduces the likelihood of having a large family.

©Paul Quayle/Panos Pictures

With better education, women are more likely to know how to keep their children healthy. Greater investment in health care by the state government helps too. Consequently, infant mortality in Kerala has fallen dramatically from 210 deaths per 1,000 children in 1930 to 14 deaths per 1,000 today. If children have a greater chance of survival, families are less likely to try for more.

Future changes
In Kerala, the policy to reduce the birth rate by choice instead of force is working. Yet Kerala's population may stop growing altogether within 30 years, and the changes in the population structure may create new problems.

The population pyramid shows Kerala's population structure in 1991. Click on the pyramid to see the predicted population structure for 2021.

• How is the population structure likely to change?
• What problems may occur as a result of these changes?
• Can you think of any countries today that are already facing these problems?