Health > Fertility rate > Total > Births per woman: Countries Compared

Author: chris.lockyer781

Total Fertility Rate is the measure of the number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive years, based on age specific fertility rates.

Computation:

Age Specific Fertility Rate = (annual number of births in a given age group /number of women in that age group) x 1000

Total Fertility Rate = (Sum of Age Specific Fertility Rates in all age groups x number of years in each age group)/1000

Description:

Total Fertility Rate is the most commonly used measure to compare fertility among different countries. It shows how many children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime. In developing countries, the issue of overpopulation is a serious problem, with TFR rates in some countries as high as 7. On the other hand, developed countries face different problems, as their total fertility rates continue to decline.

TFR and replacement rate are often compared against each other to predict trends in population growth of a given country. The replacement rate is the average number of children a woman should have to keep the population at equilibrium. In developed countries, the replacement rate is 2.1 while in developing nations, it is set much higher because of increased mortality rates.

The implications of a high or low TFR are important in both the developed and developing world. Concerns over falling birth rates are growing in many developed countries. Some of these countries include those in the Western Europe, Singapore and Japan, where the TFR is below the replacement rate. They face the problem of an increasingly aging population, with higher dependency ratios. This poses a serious risk on economic growth in the future.

One of the identified factors which contribute to declining TFR is the shifting views of women from their traditional roles. Women who have higher educational attainment and income tend to postpone marriage and child bearing and have less children compared to others.

In developing nations, fertility rate trends have shown a slight decreased over the past few decades. However, rapid population growth continues to be their concern. Lack of education and access to family planning methods are the main causes of overpopulation. Higher fertility rates increase the risk for death and disease in women. They also have fewer chances of finding work outside the home. Children who have more siblings find it harder to get out of poverty compared to those who have less.

Citations

1) Population Reference Bureau: Fertility rates in low birth-rate countries, 1996-2011. http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2012/low-fertility-countries-tfr.aspx

2) Trends and Dertminants of Fertility Rates in OECD Countries: The Role of Policies. http://www.oecd.org/els/soc/35304751.pdf

3) UN News Centre: High birth rates hamper development in poorer countries, warns UN forum. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30365&Cr=population&Cr1=mdg#.UyE3jz_6Nsk

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DEFINITION: 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 current age-specific fertility rates.

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Totals

#	COUNTRY	AMOUNT	DATE
1	AfghanistanAfghanistan	7.9 births per woman	1987
2	NigerNiger	7.67 births per woman	2005
3	East TimorEast Timor	7.47 births per woman	2005
4	UgandaUganda	7.1 births per woman	2005
5	Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau	7.08 births per woman	2005
6	BurundiBurundi	6.8 births per woman	2005
7	LiberiaLiberia	6.78 births per woman	2005
8	MaliMali	6.72 births per woman	2005
9	Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR.	6.7 births per woman	2005
10	AngolaAngola	6.56 births per woman	2005
11	Sierra LeoneSierra Leone	6.48 births per woman	2005
12	ChadChad	6.3 births per woman	2005
13	SomaliaSomalia	6.2 births per woman	2005
14	Burkina FasoBurkina Faso	5.9 births per woman	2005
15	Equatorial GuineaEqu. Guinea	5.89 births per woman	2005
16	YemenYemen	5.87 births per woman	2005
17	MalawiMalawi	5.84 births per woman	2005
18	RwandaRwanda	5.8 births per woman	2005
19	Marshall IslandsMarshall Isl.	5.71 births per woman	1999
=20	BeninBenin	5.6 births per woman	2005
=20	GuineaGuinea	5.6 births per woman	2005
=20	Congo, Republic of theCongo, Republic of the	5.6 births per woman	2005
23	MauritaniaMauritania	5.59 births per woman	2005
24	NigeriaNigeria	5.5 births per woman	2005
25	ZambiaZambia	5.4 births per woman	2005
26	IraqIraq	5.37 births per woman	1997
27	EthiopiaEthiopia	5.32 births per woman	2005
28	MozambiqueMozambique	5.3 births per woman	2005
29	EritreaEritrea	5.24 births per woman	2005
	failed states averagefailed states average (profile)	5.23 births per woman	2005
30	TanzaniaTanzania	5.2 births per woman	2005
	Sub-Saharan Africa averageSub-Saharan Africa average (profile)	5.12 births per woman	2005
31	MadagascarMadagascar	5.04 births per woman	2005
32	TogoTogo	5.03 births per woman	2005
33	CameroonCameroon	5 births per woman	2004
34	KenyaKenya	4.98 births per woman	2005
35	SenegalSenegal	4.9 births per woman	2005
36	DjiboutiDjibouti	4.74 births per woman	2005
37	Central African RepublicCentral Africa	4.73 births per woman	2005
38	Cote d'IvoireCote d'Ivoire	4.7 births per woman	2005
39	LaosLaos	4.5 births per woman	2005
	Former French colonies averageFormer French colonies average (profile)	4.49 births per woman	2005
40	The GambiaThe Gambia	4.4 births per woman	2005
41	GuatemalaGuatemala	4.33 births per woman	2005
42	SudanSudan	4.15 births per woman	2005
43	PakistanPakistan	4.12 births per woman	2005
44	GhanaGhana	4.06 births per woman	2005
=45	Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands	4 births per woman	2005
=45	MaldivesMaldives	4 births per woman	2005
47	SamoaSamoa	3.98 births per woman	2004
48	SwazilandSwaziland	3.91 births per woman	2005
49	CambodiaCambodia	3.89 births per woman	2005
50	VanuatuVanuatu	3.87 births per woman	2005
51	Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia	3.83 births per woman	2005
	Hot countries averageHot countries average (profile)	3.83 births per woman	2002
52	Papua New GuineaPapua NG	3.8 births per woman	2005
=53	ComorosComoros	3.76 births per woman	2005
=53	Sao Tome and PrincipeSoa Tome+	3.76 births per woman	2005
55	HaitiHaiti	3.75 births per woman	2005
56	GabonGabon	3.73 births per woman	2005
	Muslim countries averageMuslim countries average (profile)	3.68 births per woman	2005
57	ParaguayParaguay	3.67 births per woman	2005
58	NamibiaNamibia	3.66 births per woman	2005
=59	Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia	3.65 births per woman	2005
=59	BoliviaBolivia	3.65 births per woman	2005
61	KiribatiKiribati	3.6 births per woman	2002
=62	Cape VerdeCape Verde	3.53 births per woman	2005
=62	TajikistanTajikistan	3.53 births per woman	2005
64	HondurasHonduras	3.47 births per woman	2005
65	NepalNepal	3.46 births per woman	2005
66	OmanOman	3.44 births per woman	2005
	Sparsely populated countries averageSparsely populated countries average (profile)	3.44 births per woman	2005
67	LesothoLesotho	3.4 births per woman	2005
	Religious countries averageReligious countries average (profile)	3.39 births per woman	1997
	Former British colonies averageFormer British colonies average (profile)	3.38 births per woman	2005
	OPEC countries averageOPEC countries average (profile)	3.36 births per woman	2005
68	ZimbabweZimbabwe	3.34 births per woman	2005
69	TongaTonga	3.31 births per woman	2005
70	JordanJordan	3.29 births per woman	2005
71	SyriaSyria	3.24 births per woman	2005
72	PhilippinesPhilippines	3.2 births per woman	2005
	South Asia averageSouth Asia average (profile)	3.11 births per woman	2005
73	EgyptEgypt	3.1 births per woman	2005
74	NicaraguaNicaragua	3.08 births per woman	2005
	East Asia and Pacific averageEast Asia and Pacific average (profile)	3.04 births per woman	2002
75	BotswanaBotswana	3.03 births per woman	2005
76	GrenadaGrenada	3 births per woman	2002
	Christian countries averageChristian countries average (profile)	2.99 births per woman	2002
77	BangladeshBangladesh	2.98 births per woman	2005
78	BelizeBelize	2.97 births per woman	2005
	Middle Eastern and North Africa averageMiddle Eastern and North Africa average (profile)	2.92 births per woman	2005
79	QatarQatar	2.89 births per woman	2005
	Former Spanish colonies averageFormer Spanish colonies average (profile)	2.89 births per woman	2005
	Catholic countries averageCatholic countries average (profile)	2.88 births per woman	2002
	South and Central Asia averageSouth and Central Asia average (profile)	2.86 births per woman	2005
80	LibyaLibya	2.85 births per woman	2005
81	IndiaIndia	2.84 births per woman	2005
82	IsraelIsrael	2.82 births per woman	2005
83	FijiFiji	2.79 births per woman	2005
=84	South AfricaSouth Africa	2.78 births per woman	2005
=84	GuamGuam	2.78 births per woman	2005
86	El SalvadorEl Salvador	2.76 births per woman	2005
=87	PeruPeru	2.74 births per woman	2005
=87	MalaysiaMalaysia	2.74 births per woman	2005
89	Dominican RepublicDominican Rep.	2.73 births per woman	2005
90	EcuadorEcuador	2.67 births per woman	2005
91	VenezuelaVenezuela	2.65 births per woman	2005
92	PanamaPanama	2.62 births per woman	2005
	Latin America and Caribbean averageLatin America and Caribbean average (profile)	2.61 births per woman	2002
93	TurkmenistanTurkmenistan	2.6 births per woman	2005
94	SurinameSuriname	2.51 births per woman	2005
95	BhutanBhutan	2.5 births per woman	2005
96	AlgeriaAlgeria	2.44 births per woman	2005
97	United Arab EmiratesUAE	2.43 births per woman	2005
98	KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan	2.41 births per woman	2005
=99	MoroccoMorocco	2.4 births per woman	2005
=99	ColombiaColombia	2.4 births per woman	2005
101	KuwaitKuwait	2.39 births per woman	2005
=102	BruneiBrunei	2.38 births per woman	2005
=102	JamaicaJamaica	2.38 births per woman	2005
104	GreenlandGreenland	2.36 births per woman	2003
105	BahrainBahrain	2.34 births per woman	2005
=106	MongoliaMongolia	2.33 births per woman	2005
=106	AzerbaijanAzerbaijan	2.33 births per woman	2005
108	French PolynesiaFr. Polynesia	2.31 births per woman	2005
109	New CaledoniaNew Caledonia	2.3 births per woman	2005
	Heavily indebted countries averageHeavily indebted countries average (profile)	2.29 births per woman	2005
=110	BrazilBrazil	2.29 births per woman	2005
=110	ArgentinaArgentina	2.29 births per woman	2005
112	IndonesiaIndonesia	2.27 births per woman	2005
=113	The BahamasThe Bahamas	2.25 births per woman	2005
=113	LebanonLebanon	2.25 births per woman	2005
115	BurmaBurma	2.23 births per woman	2005
116	UzbekistanUzbekistan	2.22 births per woman	2005
117	Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands	2.2 births per woman	2005
118	TurkeyTurkey	2.19 births per woman	2005
119	GuyanaGuyana	2.18 births per woman	2005
120	Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSt Vincent+	2.12 births per woman	2004
=121	MexicoMexico	2.11 births per woman	2005
=121	Saint Kitts and NevisSt Kitts+	2.11 births per woman	2002
123	SeychellesSeychelles	2.1 births per woman	2003
	Emerging markets averageEmerging markets average (profile)	2.08 births per woman	2005
=124	IranIran	2.07 births per woman	2005
=124	Saint LuciaSaint Lucia	2.07 births per woman	2005
=124	Netherlands AntillesN. Antilles	2.07 births per woman	2005
=127	United StatesUnited States	2.05 births per woman	2005
=127	IcelandIceland	2.05 births per woman	2005
129	TunisiaTunisia	2.04 births per woman	2005
=130	Costa RicaCosta Rica	2 births per woman	2005
=130	New ZealandNew Zealand	2 births per woman	2005
=130	UruguayUruguay	2 births per woman	2005
133	MauritiusMauritius	1.98 births per woman	2005
134	ChileChile	1.97 births per woman	2005
135	North KoreaNorth Korea	1.96 births per woman	2005
136	FranceFrance	1.92 births per woman	2005
137	Sri LankaSri Lanka	1.91 births per woman	2005
138	DominicaDominica	1.9 births per woman	2003
139	ThailandThailand	1.89 births per woman	2005
140	IrelandIreland	1.88 births per woman	2005
141	NorwayNorway	1.84 births per woman	2005
142	ChinaChina	1.81 births per woman	2005
=143	FinlandFinland	1.8 births per woman	2005
=143	DenmarkDenmark	1.8 births per woman	2005
=143	United KingdomUnited Kingdom	1.8 births per woman	2005
=143	Puerto RicoPuerto Rico	1.8 births per woman	2005
=147	AlbaniaAlbania	1.78 births per woman	2005
=147	VietnamVietnam	1.78 births per woman	2005
	Former Soviet republics averageFormer Soviet republics average (profile)	1.78 births per woman	2005
=149	AustraliaAustralia	1.77 births per woman	2005
=149	SwedenSweden	1.77 births per woman	2005
=151	BermudaBermuda	1.75 births per woman	2005
=151	KazakhstanKazakhstan	1.75 births per woman	2005
153	NetherlandsNetherlands	1.73 births per woman	2005
154	BelgiumBelgium	1.72 births per woman	2005
	Cold countries averageCold countries average (profile)	1.72 births per woman	2005
=155	LuxembourgLuxembourg	1.7 births per woman	2005
=155	Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda	1.7 births per woman	2002
157	BarbadosBarbados	1.69 births per woman	2004
	Non-religious countries averageNon-religious countries average (profile)	1.67 births per woman	2005
	High income OECD countries averageHigh income OECD countries average (profile)	1.63 births per woman	2005
=158	Serbia and MontenegroSerbia+	1.61 births per woman	2005
=158	Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad+	1.61 births per woman	2005
	Group of 7 countries (G7) averageGroup of 7 countries (G7) average (profile)	1.6 births per woman	2005
	NATO countries averageNATO average (profile)	1.53 births per woman	2005
	Europe averageEurope average (profile)	1.51 births per woman	2005
160	CanadaCanada	1.51 births per woman	2005
=161	EstoniaEstonia	1.5 births per woman	2005
=161	CubaCuba	1.5 births per woman	2005
	Eurozone averageEurozone average (profile)	1.5 births per woman	2005
	European Union averageEuropean Union average (profile)	1.48 births per woman	2005
=163	CyprusCyprus	1.42 births per woman	2005
=163	CroatiaCroatia	1.42 births per woman	2005
=163	SwitzerlandSwitzerland	1.42 births per woman	2005
166	AustriaAustria	1.41 births per woman	2005
167	PortugalPortugal	1.4 births per woman	2005
168	GeorgiaGeorgia	1.39 births per woman	2005
	Eastern Europe averageEastern Europe average (profile)	1.38 births per woman	2005
=169	ArmeniaArmenia	1.37 births per woman	2005
=169	MaltaMalta	1.37 births per woman	2005
171	GermanyGermany	1.36 births per woman	2005
172	SpainSpain	1.33 births per woman	2005
=173	ItalyItaly	1.32 births per woman	2005
=173	HungaryHungary	1.32 births per woman	2005
=173	RomaniaRomania	1.32 births per woman	2005
=176	BulgariaBulgaria	1.31 births per woman	2005
=176	LatviaLatvia	1.31 births per woman	2005
178	RussiaRussia	1.29 births per woman	2005
=179	GreeceGreece	1.28 births per woman	2005
=179	Czech RepublicCzech Republic	1.28 births per woman	2005
=181	MoldovaMoldova	1.27 births per woman	2005
=181	LithuaniaLithuania	1.27 births per woman	2005
183	JapanJapan	1.26 births per woman	2005
184	SlovakiaSlovakia	1.25 births per woman	2005
=185	BelarusBelarus	1.24 births per woman	2005
=185	PolandPoland	1.24 births per woman	2005
=185	SingaporeSingapore	1.24 births per woman	2005
188	SloveniaSlovenia	1.23 births per woman	2005
189	UkraineUkraine	1.2 births per woman	2005
190	Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina	1.19 births per woman	2005
191	South KoreaSouth Korea	1.08 births per woman	2005
192	Hong KongHong Kong	0.97 births per woman	2005
193	MacauMacau	0.88 births per woman	2005

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