Comparable figures for Brunei are not available. This means that women entering the childbearing ages constitute a major part of the total female population. Therefore, the size of the next generation of childbearing women can be expected to surpass the preceding one. Even if the number of births per woman diminished, the total number of births will still be greater than previous generations. Consequently, the rate of decline in the birthrates of these countries may decelerate, possibly stalling the reduction in growth rates unless countered by a rapid drop in the fertility of the younger married women.
Percentages are from the 'medium variant' .
Comparable figures for Brunei are no' available. The spatial distribution of population is an issue of national importance because of its manifold implications for development and the environment. Internal migration and urbanization, the most prominent aspects of spatial distribution, are of considerable concern to every government in the region. Brunei had nearly 60 per cent of its inhabitants dwelling in cities while the corresponding proportion for Malaysia and the Philippines was over 40 per cent. Migration to the cities will account for as much as 50 per cent of future urban growth.