was 78.3 years, with the average at 75.0 years. After a setback during 1986–1996, mostly due to the Spitak earthquake, and the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenia regained its position and was consistently among the top three former Soviet republics during 1997–2016, topping the list in 2007. During the Soviet period, life expectancy was traditionally high in Armenia and topped all other republics of the USSR, and most other countries in Eastern Europe between 1978–1980. Source: UN Reproduction indicators In 2016, natural increase of population comprised 12,366 persons and the crude rate of natural increase reached 4.1%, per 1000 population, decreasing by 0.4 percent compared to the previous year. After double-digit crude natural increase rates between 1982–1992, rates did not exceed 5.5 after 1998. At a regional level, slightly better rates were recorded in the capital Yerevan, where the value of 5.5 is consistently being surpassed since 2009. Particularly weak is natural increase in Tavush and Syunik provinces, not much better off are Lori and Vayots Dzor provinces. Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and CBR (Crude Birth Rate): Armenia's Total Fertility Rate at 1.6 was lowest in the Caucasus region in 2017. TFR is expected to stay at 1.6 between 2015–2020, less from 1.7 in years 2010–2015. The mean age of mothers at birth was 26.8 years and at first birth it was 24.7 years in 2016. Adolescent birth rate, as well as, share of women married at age of 18 was lowest in Armenia compared to its neighbouring countries. In 2016, infant mortality rate (in the first year of their life) was 8.6%, per 1,000 live births. A study revealed that population growth rate changes were more favourable in Armenia than in its surrounding countries between 2005–2015. Structure of the population The median age in 2020 was 36.6 years (male: 35.1, female: 38.3). 36.3 percent of women who gave birth in 2016 had higher education. Structure of the population (12.10.2011, census): Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2019): |- |} In 2016, households with up to four members prevailed in urban areas throughout Armenia, with the share of such households coming to 70.2 percent in urban communities compared to 60.1 percent in rural communities. Since the 1960s, Armenia has the highest share of urban population among South Caucasus countries. Vital statistics summary data 1 The numbers of life births and deaths until 1959 were calculated from the birth