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Module
4 Step 2

Under “search the GEO Database,” enter the word “fertility,” and click “Search.” You should
now see a set of available database options relevant to “fertility.”

9-12 December, 2013 Step 3

In this list, choose the top data option, fertility at the national level, by clicking on the radio
button and then clicking “continue.”

Step 4

From the year selections, check the box labelled “Select All” next to the list of available years,
and then click “continue.”

You should now be looking at a list of available output options for the data, as shown on
the right. The GEO Data Portal offers data to view in a map, chart or table, as well as to
download for use in statistical or mapping packages.

First, let’s find out what type of data we have by looking at the metadata.

Step 5

Under “Show Metadata,” click “display as...Metadata.”

? Question 1: Read the “Abstract” and “Purpose” sections of the metadata. How is fertility
rate defined for this data set?

? Question 2: How were the data for fertility rate collected and measured?

? Question 3: Why is fertility rate considered a more useful population indicator than birth rate?

Step 6
When you’re finished browsing the metadata, click the orange “go back” link on the right to
return to the display options page.

Step 7
Under “Draw Map,” click on the image of the map. This will open up a separate window with
a world map showing estimated fertility rate for the years 2045–50.

The fertility rate map shows a century of estimated data for each country. How are regional

patterns of fertility estimated to change over this period of time?

42 Monitoring, Data and Indicators