Final answer:
A total fertility rate of 2.1 indicates that the population is at its replacement rate, meaning it will remain stable without considering migration. This rate accounts for children that may not reach reproductive age. Fertility rates vary globally and are influenced by socio-economic factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
A total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 indicates that a population is at its replacement rate.
This means that the population will remain stable if this rate is sustained over time, as this is the level at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next, without migration.
The replacement rate of 2.1 takes into account that some children will not survive to reproductive age or will not have children, so it is slightly higher than 2.
Family size is different from fertility rate; it refers to the number of living children raised in the same household. Influences on fertility rate include economic development, urbanization, access to family planning, and cultural factors. Fertility rates are crucial for understanding population growth and socio-economic dynamics.