The Danish birth rate reached an average 1.9 children in 2008, the highest number since 1975, according to the latest figures from Statistics Denmark.

The increase in the birth rate comes after a period in which many women chose to postpone pregnancies in order to follow a career, according to Berlingske Tidende.

Welfare Researcher Karen Sjørup of Roskilde University says that the majority of Danish couples will have two children.

“There aren’t many places in the world where conditions are as good as in Denmark when you have children. Parents are able to continue working and follow a career, and there are good opportunities to have children looked after in crèches and kindergardens,” says Sjørup.

Too few
A birth rate of 1.9, however, is apparently not enough to reproduce the population. According to Population Expert Hans Kornø Rasmussen, a birth rate of 2.1 is necessary as there are always those who die before they have children and those who have no children at all.