The behavior of marriage and fertility in Cuban young people: a socio-demographic analysis

The aim of this article is to synthesize the behavior of marriage and fertility variables in Cuba for the group 15-34 years in the period 2008-2013. The dynamics of the overall level indicators are analyzed, and then is compared the behavior of the different age groups of young people. An essentially qualitative methodology was used, performing calculations in Excel using data from the National Bureau of Statistics and Information (ONEI). The results show the existence of specific marriage low rates for the youth group, with a tendency to spinsterhood and formation of consensual unions. In the last year, a postposition of the marriages is visualized, this trend is more observed in the women with highest cultural levels. Fertility shows low levels in the period, with an early pattern and propensity for postponement by the single women and by those who have highest academicals levels. The majority of the births come from mothers in consensual unions. Fertility in rural youth is slightly lower for all age groups, except for those under twenty years old. The same behavior is observed in the marriage and fertility: a postposition in the case of the women with highest cultural levels.