The average for 2022 based on 196 countries was 18.19 births per 1000 people. The highest value was in the Central African Republic: 45.42 births per 1000 people and the lowest value was in Hong Kong: 4.4 births per 1000 people. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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 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, Africa's population is forecast to increase from 1.4 billion in 2022 to over 3.9 billion by 2100.

In 2023, there were five countries, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have over six children throughout their lifetime. In fact, of the 20 countries in the world with the highest fertility rates, Afghanistan and Yemen are the only countries not found in Sub-Saharan Africa. High fertility rates in Africa With a fertility rate of 6.13 and 6.12 children per woman, Somalia and Chad were the countries with the highest fertility rate in the world. Population growth in Chad 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 Chad'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 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 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 creating severe econoic and societal challenges as workforces are shrinking while aging populations are placin a greater burden on both public and personal resources.

The average for 2022 based on 196 countries was 2.45 births per woman. The highest value was in Somalia: 6.26 births per woman and the lowest value was in Macao: 0.68 births per woman. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Total fertility rates for countries worldwide

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for Least Developed Countries (SPDYNCBRTINLDC) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, crude, and rate.

From Seeds to Stars: Mapping the Evolution of Fertility Rates Across Nations! 🌱🌟 Step into the realm of demographics and witness the captivating journey of fertility rates spanning over six decades, from 1960 to 2022. 📊✨ Explore a rich tapestry of data that unveils the ebb and flow of population growth, unraveling the fascinating story behind each country's unique fertility landscape. 🌍🔍 Traverse the peaks of baby booms, the valleys of declining birth rates, and the surprising anomalies that shape our global family tree. 🌳👪 Join us on this enlightening expedition as we delve into the mysteries of fertility, decoding the factors that influence birth rates and reshaping our understanding of the world's population dynamics. Get ready to be mesmerized by the interplay of numbers, trends, and the universal human desire to create life. 🌎🌺✨

The crude birth rate in Montenegro was estimated to be **** live births per 1,000 population in 2024, the highest among countries in Europe. By contrast, Ukraine had the lowest crude birth rate in Europe, at *** live births per 1,000 population.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for Middle Income Countries (SPDYNCBRTINMIC) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, crude, income, and rate.

This horizontal bar chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by country using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Europe. The data is about countries.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for Countries with Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations (SPDYNCBRTINFCS) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, crude, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for High Income Countries (SPDYNTFRTINHIC) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, income, and rate.

This dataset is about countries per year in Africa. It has 3,456 rows. It features 4 columns: country, birth rate, and fertility rate.

United States US: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.843 Ratio for 2015. United States US: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 2.002 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.654 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 1.738 Ratio in 1976. United States US: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

In 2024, Monaco was the European country estimated to have the highest fertility rate. The country had a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman. Other small countries such as Gibraltar or Montenegro also came towards the top of the list for 2024, while the large country with the highest fertility rate was France, with 1.64 children per woman. On the other hand, Ukraine had the lowest fertility rate, averaging around one child per woman.

Content

In this dataset you'll find the birth rates from all 195 countries from 1960-2013.

Acknowledgements

This data comes from https://data.world/bhavnachawla/population-fertility-rate-life-expectancy.

The average for 2022 based on 24 countries was 13.59 births per 1000 people. The highest value was in Haiti: 22.55 births per 1000 people and the lowest value was in Puerto Rico: 5.9 births per 1000 people. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Historical dataset showing U.S. birth rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

The average for 2022 based on 12 countries was 1.93 births per woman. The highest value was in Bolivia: 2.58 births per woman and the lowest value was in Chile: 1.25 births per woman. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.