Roughly 60 years after the post-WWII baby boom ended, the global birth rate is less than half what it was in the 1960s, the World Bank Group reported.
But not every country reports similar birth rates.
The World Bank Group gathered crude birth rate data in 2024 — that is, the number of live births per 1,000 people in a year — as well as the total fertility rate, which measures the average number of births per woman.
Business Insider identified the 15 countries with the highest crude birth rates, and the 15 places with the lowest, as well as the total fertility rate for each. For our list, we didn’t include territories or autonomous regions such as Hong Kong.
The US had a birth rate of 10.6 births per 1,000 people, making it the 135th-ranked country in the world. It also had an average of 1.6 births per woman in 2024. This is below the global birth rate of 16 births per 1,000 people and the global fertility rate of 2.2 births per woman.
Amid declining birth rates, Americans are waiting longer to have children due to financial reasons, and many want more kids than they currently have, Business Insider previously reported.
Birth rates are falling at different rates worldwide, with higher-income countries generally seeing lower birth rates, yet most countries share a downward trend since the 1960s.
Countries in Africa consistently reported the highest birth rates, accounting for 13 of the top 15 countries. Of the top 15 countries, 10 reported a prevalence of contraceptives for married women of just 20% or lower, per the World Bank Group.
In countries with the lowest birth rates, economic issues are likely factors. The Associated Press cited “bleak job prospects” and high-cost of living among factors for low birth rates in Japan, which its former prime minister called a “silent emergency.”
The World Bank Group used data from the UN Population Division and the UN Statistical Division, as well as data from national statistics offices.
See the 15 places with the highest birth rates in the world, followed by the 15 with the lowest.
Business Insider rounded to one decimal place, but two decimal places were used in some instances to break ties.
1. The Central African Republic had a birth rate of 46.2 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in the Central African Republic is about 6 births per woman.
2. Chad had a birth rate of 43.3 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Chad is about 6 births per woman.
3. Somalia had a birth rate of 42.3 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Somalia is about 6 births per woman.
4. Niger had a birth rate of 41.4 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Niger is about 5.9 births per woman.
5. The Democratic Republic of the Congo had a birth rate of 40.9 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is about 6 births per woman.
6. Mali had a birth rate of 39.5 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Mali is about 5.5 births per woman.
7. Angola had a birth rate of 37.2 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Angola is about 5 births per woman.
8. Mozambique had a birth rate of 37 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Mozambique is about 4.7 births per woman.
9. Afghanistan had a birth rate of 35 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Afghanistan is about 4.8 births per woman.
10. Tanzania had a birth rate of 34.8 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Tanzania is about 4.5 births per woman.
11. Uganda had a birth rate of 34.4 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Uganda is about 4.2 births per woman.
12. Yemen had a birth rate of 34.4 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Yemen is about 4.5 births per woman.
13. Mauritania had a birth rate of 34 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Mauritania is about 4.6 births per woman.
14. Benin had a birth rate of 33.4 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Benin is about 4.5 births per woman.
15th highest. Cameroon had a birth rate of 33.3 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Cameroon is about 4.3 births per woman.
15th lowest. Estonia had a birth rate of 7.1 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Estonia is about 1.2 births per woman.
14. Belarus had a birth rate of 7 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Belarus is about 1.2 births per woman.
13 (tie). Latvia had a birth rate of 6.9 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Latvia is about 1.2 births per woman.
13 (tie). Poland had a birth rate of 6.9 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Poland is about 1.1 births per woman.
11. Andorra had a birth rate of 6.9 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Andorra is about 1.1 births per woman.
10. China had a birth rate of 6.8 births per 1,000 people.
The fertility rate in China is about 1 birth per woman.
9 (tie). Greece had a birth rate of 6.6 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Greece is about 1.2 births per woman.
9 (tie). Lithuania also had a birth rate of 6.6 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Lithuania is about 1.1 births per woman.
7. Spain had a birth rate of 6.5 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Spain is about 1.1 births per woman.
6. Italy had a birth rate of 6.3 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Italy is about 1.2 births per woman.
5. Taiwan had a birth rate of 5.8 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
Taiwan is not included as a separate country in the World Bank data. The US and many other governments do not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, though it has its own government, military, economy, and statistical agencies.
Separate figures reported by Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior and cited by China’s Xinhua News Agency show Taiwan had a crude birth rate of 5.8 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
In 2024, Taiwan recorded 134,856 newborns, out of a total population of about 23.4 million.
4. Japan had a birth rate of 5.7 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Japan is about 1.1 births per woman.
3. Ukraine had a birth rate of 5.5 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in Ukraine is about 1 birth per woman.
2. South Korea had a birth rate of 4.7 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in South Korea is about 0.7 births per woman.
1. San Marino had a birth rate of 4.2 births per 1,000 people in 2024.
The fertility rate in San Marino is about 1.2 births per woman.
