Gender Preference: A Determinant of Family Size in Lahore -- Pakistan

Safdar Ali Shirazi, University of the Punjab

Family size is one of the indicator of the state of population in a country therefore large family indicates high population growth. It is therefore necessary to have an objective look at the relevant statistics to judge the population trend of an area. The data used in present paper has been collected from Four sample localities of Lahore with different sociocultural status. It has been noticed that average family size in Lahore as a whole varies between 4.7 to 6.4 member/family. This indicates large family size in the city due to number of factors. Out of these gender preference in one of the major determinant of family size in Lahore. Since Socioeconomic structure of Pakistan as well as of Lahore is predominantly agrarian, feudal and economically poor, son preference is a predominant reason to demand more children and consequently large family size.