Current birth rates in Germany stand at 1.35 children per woman, significantly below the replacement level of 2.1. Demographer Roland Rau attributes this decline to the reduced number of women of childbearing age, resulting in fewer births despite any potential increases in birth rates. Utilizing United Nations data, Rau forecasts a similar decline of approximately 20% in Austria, contrasting with a projected global population growth of 16%, particularly in Africa, which is expected to increase by 48%.