Fertility trends and its determinants in Spain and Europe

European demography and fertility is a colorful mosaic that reflects a variety of cultures and institutions across different countries. There is considerable subnational variation in fertility levels, therefore the national average values often hide important local differences. Previous research has shown different factors to have an impact on fertility tempo and quantum, such as economic contraction, social transformations, and the rise of migration. Such changes have not spread homogeneously, but with a different pace and intensity across European countries. This thesis aims to obtain more insight into the geographical variation in fertility changes in Europe, and to identify the role of a number of major factors behind this geographical variation, both at the macro level for European countries, and at the micro level for Spanish regions. The socio-economic factors involved in the transformation of fertility in Spain, is conducted at subnational level employing small territorial units, and constructing demographic and socio-economic indicators, which encompass fertility for the past forty years.Although fertility in most European countries is below replacement, the two child ideal is still very much the norm. Results show the factors that allow fulfilling childbearing ideals and how they differ between Western and Eastern Europe. Attitudes towards childbearing can change after entering a union, but individuals who are more oriented towards childbearing may be more determined to form unions. There is a positive significant causal relationship of entering a union on attitudes towards parenthood among men, whereas the effect is weaker or uncertain for women