Demographic trends in less and least developed countries: Convergence or divergence?

Abstract Many scholars share the assumption that demographic patterns in world are converging over time. The present study analyses temporal trends of specific parameters mortality and fertility—together with certain socio-economic indicators—in 95 less least developed countries during period 1990–2015 discusses whether fertility convergent or divergent. We apply dynamic factor analysis cluster trajectories to macro-data from major international sources. results show a large number have trend mortality, but sub-Saharan African affected by HIV–AIDS epidemic non-monotonic trends. Trends delayed unclear depend on individual attitudes levels women’s empowerment. Fifty-two out observed collocated similar groups. Finally, at an advanced economic stage made best improvements, while ones retained their deep pre-existing inequalities.