[trompetenaccoun]

No way of knowing. Remarkable that it's below 2 either way for such a poor country. If they faked it they surely wouldn't have made it lower, so it's possible the real rate is even below that.

[_-david-_]

Poor countries are usually religious which plays an impact on the fertility rate. The last numbers I saw were 70% of North Koreans are not religious.

[unmole]

Effect of religion on fertility is vastly overstated. Education level of women is the biggest factor.