In 2024, there are six countries, all in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have around six or more children throughout their lifetime. In fact, of the 20 countries in the world with the highest fertility rates, Afghanistan is the only country not found in Sub-Saharan Africa. High fertility rates in Africa With a fertility rate of almost 7 children per woman, Niger is the country with the highest fertility rate in the world. Population growth in Niger is among the highest in the world. Lack of healthcare access, as well as food instability, political instability, and climate change, are all exacerbating conditions that keep Niger's infant mortality rates high, which is generally the driver behind high fertility rates. This situation is common across much of the continent, and, although there has been considerable progress in recent decades, development in Sub-Saharan Africa is not moving as quickly as it did in other less-developed regions. Demographic transition While these countries have the highest fertility rates in the world, their rates are all on a generally downward trajectory due to a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. The third stage (of four or five) of this transition sees birth rates drop in response to decreased infant and child mortality, as families no longer feel the need to compensate for lost children. Eventually, fertility rates fall below replacement level (approximately 2.1 children per woman), which eventually leads to natural population decline once life expectancy plateaus. In some of the most developed countries today, low fertility rates are

The statistic shows the 20 countries with the lowest fertility rates in 2024. All figures are estimates. In 2024, the fertility rate in Taiwan was estimated to be at 1.11 children per woman, making it the lowest fertility rate worldwide. Fertility rate The fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman of child-bearing age in a country. Usually, a woman aged between 15 and 45 is considered to be in her child-bearing years. The fertility rate of a country provides an insight into its economic state, as well as the level of health and education of its population. Developing countries usually have a higher fertility rate due to lack of access to birth control and contraception, and to women usually foregoing a higher education, or even any education at all, in favor of taking care of housework. Many families in poorer countries also need their children to help provide for the family by starting to work early and/or as caretakers for their parents in old age. In developed countries, fertility rates and birth rates are usually much lower, as birth control is easier to obtain and women often choose a career before becoming a mother. Additionally, if the number of women of child-bearing age declines, so does the fertility rate of a country. As can be seen above, countries like Hong Kong are a good example for women leaving the patriarchal structures and focusing on their own career instead of becoming a mother at a young age, causing a decline of the country’s fertility rate. A look at the fertility rate per woman worldwide by income group also shows that women with a low income tend to have more children than those with a high income. The United States are neither among the countries with the lowest, nor among those with the highest fertility rate, by the way. At 2.08 children per woman, the fertility rate in the US has been continuously slightly below the global average of about 2.4 children per woman over the last decade.

This map shows the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime. Data from Population Reference Bureau's 2017 World Population Data Sheet. The world's total fertility rate reported in 2017 was 2.5 as a whole. Replacement-Level fertility is widely recognized as 2.0 children per woman, so as to "replace" each parent in the next generation. Countries depicted in pink have a total fertility rate below replacement level whereas countries depicted in teal have a total fertility rate above replacement level. In countries with very high child mortality rates, a replacement level of 2.1 could be used, since not every child will survive into their reproductive years. Determinants of Total Fertility Rate include: women's education levels and opportunities, marriage rates among women of childbearing age (generally defined as 15-49), contraceptive usage and method mix/effectiveness, infant & child mortality rates, share of population living in urban areas, the importance of children as part of the labor force (or cost/penalty to women's labor force options that having children poses), and religious and cultural norms, among many other factors. This map was made using the Global Population and Maternal Health Indicators layer.

Niger had the highest birth rate in the world in 2024, with a birth rate of 46.6 births per 1,000 inhabitants. Angola, Benin, Mali, and Uganda followed. Except for Afghanistan, all the 20 countries with the highest birth rates in the world were located in Sub-Saharan Africa. High infant mortality The reasons behind the high birth rates in many Sub-Saharan African countries are manyfold, but a major reason is that infant mortality remains high on the continent, despite decreasing steadily over the past decades, resulting in high birth rates to counter death rates. Moreover, many nations in Sub-Saharan Africa are highly reliant on small-scale farming, meaning that more hands are of importance. Additionally, polygamy is not uncommon in the region, and having many children is often seen as a symbol of status. Fastest growing populations As the high fertility rates coincide with decreasing death rates, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest population growth rates in the world. As a result, with Africa's population forecast to increase from 1.4 billion in 2022 to over 3.9 billion by 2100.

Chart and table of the World birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Niger recorded the highest crude birth rates in Africa in 2023, with 46.9 births recorded per 1,000 inhabitants. Angola, followed with 41.4 births every 1,000 population, whereas the rate in Benin, Mali, and Uganda stood above 40. In Niger, Uganda, Mali, and Angola the population is aged under 16 years old. Especially, Niger ranks as the country with the youngest population in Africa and worldwide, with a median age by 15.4 years.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for High Income Countries (SPDYNCBRTINHIC) from 1960 to 2022 about birth, crude, income, and rate.

This dataset is about countries. It has 5 columns: country, birth rate, death rate, fertility rate, and population. The data is ordered by population (descending).

Chart and table of the U.S. birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

The crude birth rate in Turkey was estimated to be 12.3 live births per 1,000 population in 2023, the highest among countries in Europe. By contrast, Ukraine had the lowest crude birth rate in Europe, at 5.6 live births per 1,000 population.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for Least Developed Countries (SPDYNCBRTINLDC) from 1960 to 2022 about birth, crude, and rate.

The average for 2022 based on 38 countries was 9.89 births per 1000 people. The highest value was in Israel: 19 births per 1000 people and the lowest value was in South Korea: 4.9 births per 1000 people. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This bar chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by country full name and is filtered where the continent is Europe. The data is about countries.

In 2023, the Faroe Islands was the European country estimated to have the highest fertility rate. The small Atlantic island state had a fertility rate of 2.71 children per woman. Other small countries such as Monaco and Gibraltar also came towards the top of the list for 2023, while the large country with the highest fertility rate was France, with 1.79 children per woman. On the other hand, Andorra, San Marino, and Malta had the lowest fertility rates in Europe, with Ukraine, Spain, and Italy being the largest countries with low fertility rates in that year, averaging around 1.3 children per woman.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for High Income Countries (SPDYNTFRTINHIC) from 1960 to 2022 about fertility, income, and rate.

The average for 2022 based on 24 countries was 1.75 births per woman. The highest value was in Haiti: 2.77 births per woman and the lowest value was in Puerto Rico: 0.9 births per woman. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Chart and table of the Asia birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

This scatter chart displays male population (people) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) and is filtered where the country is Costa Rica. The data is about countries per year.

Chart and table of the Lebanon fertility rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Niger had the highest birth rate in the world in 2021, with a birth rate of 47.08. Angola, Benin and Mali followed with more than 41 children born in each of the countries per 1,000 population in that year.