The total fertility rate of the world has dropped from around 5 children per woman in 1950, to 2.2 children per woman in 2025, which means that women today are having fewer than half the number of children that women did 75 years ago. Replacement level fertility This change has come as a result of the global demographic transition, and is influenced by factors such as the significant reduction in infant and child mortality, reduced number of child marriages, increased educational and vocational opportunities for women, and the increased efficacy and availability of contraception. While this change has become synonymous with societal progress, it does have wide-reaching demographic impact - if the global average falls below replacement level (roughly 2.1 children per woman), as is expected to happen in the 2050s, then this will lead to long-term population decline on a global scale. Regional variations When broken down by continent, Africa is the only region with a fertility rate above the global average, and, alongside Oceania, it is the only region with a fertility rate above replacement level. Until the 1980s, the average woman in Africa could expect to have 6-7 children over the course of their lifetime, and there are still several countries in Africa where women can still expect to have 5 or more children in 2025. Historically, Europe has had the lowest fertility rates in the world over the past century, falling below replacement level in 1975. Europe's population has grown through a combination of migration and increasing life expectancy, however even high immigration rates could not prevent its population from going into decline in 2021.

From 1950 to 1955, the worldwide crude birth rate was just under 37 births per thousand people, which means that 3.7 percent of the population, who were alive during this time had been born in this five year period. Between this five year period, and the time between 2015 and 2020, the crude birth rate has dropped to 18.5 births per thousand people, which is fifty percent of what the birth rate was seventy years ago. This change has come as a result of increased access and reliability of contraception, a huge reduction in infant and child mortality rate, and increased educational and vocational opportunities for women. The continents that have felt the greatest change over this seventy year period are Asia and Latin America, which fell below the global average in the 1990s and early 2000s, and are estimated to have fallen below the crude birth rate of Oceania in the current five-year period. Europe has consistently had the lowest crude birth rate of all continents during the past seventy years, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, when it fell to just over ten births per thousand, as the end of communism in Europe caused sweeping demographic change across Europe. The only continent that still remains above the global average is Africa, whose crude birth rate is fifteen births per thousand more than the world average, although the rate of decrease is higher than it was in previous decades.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for the United States (SPDYNTFRTINUSA) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, rate, and USA.

Today, globally, women of childbearing age have an average of approximately 2.2 children over the course of their lifetime. In pre-industrial times, most women could expect to have somewhere between five and ten live births throughout their lifetime; however, the demographic transition then sees fertility rates fall significantly. Looking ahead, it is believed that the global fertility rate will fall below replacement level in the 2050s, which will eventually lead to population decline when life expectancy plateaus. Recent decades Between the 1950s and 1970s, the global fertility rate was roughly five children per woman - this was partly due to the post-WWII baby boom in many countries, on top of already-high rates in less-developed countries. The drop around 1960 can be attributed to China's "Great Leap Forward", where famine and disease in the world's most populous country saw the global fertility rate drop by roughly 0.5 children per woman. Between the 1970s and today, fertility rates fell consistently, although the rate of decline noticeably slowed as the baby boomer generation then began having their own children. Replacement level fertility Replacement level fertility, i.e. the number of children born per woman that a population needs for long-term stability, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. Populations may continue to grow naturally despite below-replacement level fertility, due to reduced mortality and increased life expectancy, however, these will plateau with time and then population decline will occur. It is believed that the global fertility rate will drop below replacement level in the mid-2050s, although improvements in healthcare and living standards will see population growth continue into the 2080s when the global population will then start falling.

Crude birth rate of Al Janubi slipped by 3.24% from 34 births per 1,000 population in 2002 to 33 births per 1,000 population in 2010. Since the 3.24% downward trend in 2010, crude birth rate remained constant by 0.00% in 2010. CBR: Crude birth rate, expressed per 1,000 population

Crude birth rate of Qash-Barkah leapt by 5.59% from 34 births per 1,000 population in 2002 to 36 births per 1,000 population in 2010. Since the 5.59% surge in 2010, crude birth rate remained constant by 0.00% in 2010. CBR: Crude birth rate, expressed per 1,000 population

In the United States, the crude birth rate in 1800 was 48.3 live births per thousand people, meaning that 4.8 percent of the population had been born in that year. Between 1815 and 1825 the crude birth rate jumped from 46.5 to 54.7 (possibly due to Florida becoming a part of the US, but this is unclear), but from this point until the Second World War the crude birth rate dropped gradually, reaching 19.2 in 1935. Through the 1940s, 50s and 60s the US experienced it's baby boom, and the birth rate reached 24.1 in 1955, before dropping again until 1980. From the 1980s until today the birth rate's decline has slowed, and is expected to reach twelve in 2020, meaning that just over 1 percent of the population will be born in 2020.

Total fertility rate of Al Janubi dropped by 12.28% from 5.7 children per woman in 2002 to 5.0 children per woman in 2010. Since the 12.28% slump in 2010, total fertility rate remained stable by 0.00% in 2010. TFR: Total fertility rate for ages 15-49, expressed per woman

United States Birth Rate: 35 to 39: American Indian or Alaska Native data was reported at 36.100 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 36.300 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: 35 to 39: American Indian or Alaska Native data is updated yearly, averaging 24.600 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.100 % in 2016 and a record low of 22.300 % in 2010. United States Birth Rate: 35 to 39: American Indian or Alaska Native data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.

United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: American Indian or Alaska Native data was reported at 8.400 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.100 % for 2022. United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: American Indian or Alaska Native data is updated yearly, averaging 5.600 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2023, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.100 % in 2022 and a record low of 5.200 % in 2010. United States Birth Rate: 40 to 44: American Indian or Alaska Native data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Birth Rate.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. In the United States in 1800, the average woman of childbearing age would have seven children over the course of their lifetime. As factors such as technology, hygiene, medicine and education improved, women were having fewer children than before, reaching just two children per woman in 1940. This changed quite dramatically in the aftermath of the Second World War, rising sharply to over 3.5 children per woman in 1960 (children born between 1946 and 1964 are nowadays known as the 'Baby Boomer' generation, and they make up roughly twenty percent of todays US population). Due to the end of the baby boom and increased access to contraception, fertility reached it's lowest point in the US in 1980, where it was just 1.77. It did however rise to over two children per woman between 1995 and 2010, although it is expected to drop again by 2020, to just 1.78.

Colombia CO: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.600 Ratio in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.600 Ratio for 2010. Colombia CO: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 1.800 Ratio from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2015, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.200 Ratio in 1995 and a record low of 1.600 Ratio in 2015. Colombia CO: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Wanted fertility rate is an estimate of what the total fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided.;Demographic and Health Surveys.;Weighted average;

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in Brazil was reported at 12.32 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Brazil - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hebei: Cangzhou data was reported at 15.471 ‰ in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15.762 ‰ for 2016. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hebei: Cangzhou data is updated yearly, averaging 17.626 ‰ from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2017, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.877 ‰ in 2010 and a record low of 15.471 ‰ in 2017. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hebei: Cangzhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Cangzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.

In 2021 the live birth rate of the United Kingdom fell to 10.4 births per 1,000 population, the lowest it had been during this time period. The UK's birth rate has been declining steadily since 2010 when the birth rate was 12.9 births per 1,000 population. After 1938, the year with the highest birth rate in the UK was 1947, when the crude birth rate was 21.2 births per 1,000 population. Under two children per mother in 2021 The most recent crude live birth rate for this statistic is based on the 694,685 births, that occurred in 2021 as well as the mid-year population estimate of 67 million for the United Kingdom. It has a close relation to the fertility rate which estimates the average number of children women are expected to have in their lifetime, which was 1.53 in this reporting year. Among the constituent countries of the UK, Northern Ireland had the highest birth rate at 11.6, followed by England at 10.5, Wales at 9.3, and Scotland at 8.7. International comparisons The UK is not alone in seeing its birth and fertility rates decline dramatically in recent decades. Across the globe, fertility rates have fallen noticeably since the 1960s, with the fertility rate for Asia, Europe, and the Americas being below two in 2021. As of this year, the global fertility rate was 2.31, and was by far the highest in Africa, which had a fertility rate of 4.12, although this too has fallen from a high of 6.72 in the late 1960s. A reduction in infant mortality, as well as better access to contraception, are factors that have typically influenced declining fertility rates recently.

Timor-Leste TL: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data was reported at 5.100 Ratio in 2010. Timor-Leste TL: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 5.100 Ratio from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2010, with 1 observations. Timor-Leste TL: Wanted Fertility Rate: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Timor-Leste – Table TL.World Bank: Health Statistics. Wanted fertility rate is an estimate of what the total fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided.; ; Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted Average;

Total Fertility Rate: Indonesia data was reported at 2.600 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.414 % for 2010. Total Fertility Rate: Indonesia data is updated yearly, averaging 2.725 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2012, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.605 % in 1971 and a record low of 2.270 % in 2000. Total Fertility Rate: Indonesia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Indonesia – Table ID.GAA007: Vital Statistics.

United States BED: sa: No. of Firms: Birth Rate data was reported at 3.000 % in Dec 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.000 % for Sep 2017. United States BED: sa: No. of Firms: Birth Rate data is updated quarterly, averaging 3.300 % from Sep 1992 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 102 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.700 % in Jun 1998 and a record low of 2.700 % in Jun 2010. United States BED: sa: No. of Firms: Birth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G043: Business Employment Dynamics.

The Data Sheet lists all geopolitical entities with populations of 150,000 or more and all members of the UN. These include sovereign states, dependencies, overseas departments, and some territories whose status or boundaries may be undetermined or in dispute. Regional population totals are independently rounded and include small countries or areas not shown. Regional and world rates and percentages are weighted averages of countries for which data are available; regional averages are shown when data or estimates are available for at least three-quarters of the region's population. Variables include population, birth and death rate, rate of natural increase, population "doubling time", estimated population for 2010 and 2025, infant mortality rate, total fertility rate, population under age 15/over age 65, life expectancy at birth, urban population, contraceptive use, per capita GNP, and government view of current birth rate. NOTE: This file is a compilation of demographic data from various sources. The data values are the same as those published in PRB's World Data Sheet, but this file also contains some underlying population figures used to calculate the rates and percentages.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Fujian: Fuzhou data was reported at 7.260 ‰ in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.380 ‰ for 2022. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Fujian: Fuzhou data is updated yearly, averaging 14.185 ‰ from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2023, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.660 ‰ in 2010 and a record low of 7.260 ‰ in 2023. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Fujian: Fuzhou data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.