Fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Fertility rate, total was 4.42 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.42 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.8%
Rank
3rd
of 47 groups
All-time high
6.92 births per woman
in 1978
All-time low
4.42 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 4.42 births per woman for fertility rate, total in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central peaked at 6.92 births per woman in 1978 and was at its lowest, 4.42 births per woman, in 2024.
Africa Western and Central ranks 3rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.47 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.48 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 6.49 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 6.5 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 6.52 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 6.53 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 6.56 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 6.58 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 6.61 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 6.63 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 6.66 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 6.7 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 6.73 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 6.76 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 6.8 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 6.84 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 6.86 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 6.89 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 6.92 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 6.9 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 6.89 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 6.87 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 6.85 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 6.82 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 6.77 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 6.72 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 6.68 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 6.63 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 6.59 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 6.56 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 6.52 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 6.47 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 6.42 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 6.36 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.3 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 6.24 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 6.17 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 6.1 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 6.05 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 6.03 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 6.02 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 5.99 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 5.96 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 5.92 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 5.9 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 5.87 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 5.85 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 5.81 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 5.79 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 5.75 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 5.71 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 5.67 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 5.6 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 5.52 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 5.44 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 5.35 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 5.23 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 5.1 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 4.96 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 4.83 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 4.71 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 4.64 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 4.56 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 4.5 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 4.42 births per woman | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.54 births per woman | 6.47 births per woman | 6.63 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.81 births per woman | 6.66 births per woman | 6.92 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.74 births per woman | 6.56 births per woman | 6.89 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.27 births per woman | 6.03 births per woman | 6.52 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.89 births per woman | 5.75 births per woman | 6.02 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.34 births per woman | 4.83 births per woman | 5.71 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.56 births per woman | 4.42 births per woman | 4.71 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More health data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 3.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per capita 0.0069 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, annual growth rate 3.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0087 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0094 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 3.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central?
- Fertility rate, total in Africa Western and Central was 4.42 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 6.92 births per woman in 1978.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.42 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for fertility rate, total?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 3rd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.