Is Singapore Going To Extinct? What Elon Musk Said On Country’s Baby Crisis

Elon Musk, the tech titan who is also widely known for his bold statements, recently addressed Singapore’s declining fertility rates, terming it as a sign of extinction for the island nation. Responding to a post by X personality Mario Nawfal, who shared an article on Singapore’s ‘baby crisis’, Elon Musk said, “Singapore (and many other countries) are going extinct.”

Singapore, facing a dwindling population and a manpower shortage, has seen its resident total fertility rate (TFR) drop to an estimated 0.97 per cent in 2023, the first time it has dropped below one per cent in the country’s history.

According to reports, the TFR, which refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years, fell from 1.04 in 2022 and 1.12 in 2021. The ‘baby crisis’ trend has mirrored in other countries including South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China.

As of 2023, the birth rate, according to PTI, remains below the replacement rate of 2.1, which is the level at which a population replaces itself. Singapore has been among countries with the lowest birth rates globally, with South Korea topping the list at 0.72 in 2023, The Straits Times newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, in 2023, the government announced various measures to support marriage and parenthood, including doubling the government-paid paternity leave to four weeks from January 1 and increasing Baby Bonus benefits.

The Singapore government has also supported the adoption of flexible work arrangements as part of efforts to help working parents manage jobs and familt commitments.