In 2025, there are six countries, all in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have between 5-6 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 almost six children per woman, Chad is the country 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 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.

The average for 2022 based on 192 countries was 2.51 births per woman. The highest value was in Niger: 6.75 births per woman and the lowest value was in Hong Kong: 0.7 births per woman. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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

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.

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

Although fluctuating between 2000 and 2024, fertility rates generally decreased in all G7 countries in recent years. Italy and Japan were estimated to have the lowest fertility rates as of 2024, at *** children per woman of childbearing age. On the other hand, France had the highest rate at *** children. Interestingly, in Germany, the fertility rate was at the same level as Japan and Italy, but started to increase in 2013 and has remained slightly higher since. The fertility rate displays the average number of children a woman of child-bearing age in a country would have if she were to live to the end of her reproductive age.

Japan fertility rate for 2025 is 1.38, a 0.51% increase from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Japan fertility rate for 2024 was <strong>1.37</strong>, a <strong>0.51% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Japan fertility rate for 2023 was <strong>1.37</strong>, a <strong>0.07% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Japan fertility rate for 2022 was <strong>1.37</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

This statistic shows the countries with the highest projected fertility rate between 2050 and 2055. Between 2050 and 2055, Niger is projected to have the highest fertility rate with an average of 3.98 children born per woman.

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

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific (SPDYNTFRTINEAP) from 1960 to 2023 about East Asia, Pacific, fertility, and rate.

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.

Historical chart and dataset showing Africa fertility rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

The average for 2022 based on 195 countries was 18.38 births per 1000 people. The highest value was in Niger: 45.03 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 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

India fertility rate for 2025 is 2.11, a 0.8% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>India fertility rate for 2024 was <strong>2.12</strong>, a <strong>7.44% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>India fertility rate for 2023 was <strong>1.98</strong>, a <strong>0.95% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>India fertility rate for 2022 was <strong>1.99</strong>, a <strong>0.99% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

The average for 2022 based on 27 countries was 1.47 births per woman. The highest value was in Romania: 1.81 births per woman and the lowest value was in Malta: 1.15 births per woman. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SPDYNTFRTINMNA) from 1960 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, fertility, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for Developing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SPDYNTFRTINSSA) from 1960 to 2023 about Sub-Saharan Africa, fertility, and rate.

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

This dataset is about countries per year in Western Europe. It has 576 rows. It features 3 columns: country, and fertility rate.