A rapid and continuous mortality decline accompanied by a high level of fertility in Iran has resulted in an unprecedented population boom during the last fifty years. The average annual rate of population growth was around 3 percent in this period, resulting in a four-fold population increase. While public support for family planning began in 1967, a pronatalist atmosphere prevailed following the Islamic Revolution of 1978-9 and governmental family planning programs came to a halt. The population boom of the 1976- 1986 inter-census period was the consequence of such an atmosphere (supplemented by a refugee influx). By 1987, the recognition was made of the consequences of the pronatalist orientation and public support programs for family planning were resumed in 1988. The abrupt change in government views and policies resulted in a dramatic reduction of fertility during the 1990s.
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