Fertility rate, total in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Fertility rate, total was 3.91 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3.91 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.3%
Rank
9th
of 45 groups
All-time high
6.74 births per woman
in 1971
All-time low
3.91 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in Least developed countries, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 3.91 births per woman for fertility rate, total in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Least developed countries peaked at 6.74 births per woman in 1971 and was at its lowest, 3.91 births per woman, in 2024.
That places Least developed countries 9th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.6 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.62 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 6.64 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 6.65 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 6.67 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 6.68 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 6.69 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 6.71 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 6.72 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 6.72 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 6.74 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 6.74 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 6.74 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 6.73 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 6.71 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 6.69 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 6.67 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 6.62 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 6.59 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 6.56 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 6.5 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 6.44 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 6.37 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 6.27 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 6.19 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 6.1 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 6.03 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 5.95 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 5.86 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 5.78 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 5.7 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 5.64 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 5.57 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 5.49 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 5.44 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 5.37 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 5.31 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 5.24 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 5.18 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 5.12 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.05 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 4.99 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.93 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 4.87 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.8 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 4.74 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 4.67 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 4.6 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 4.53 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.47 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 4.42 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 4.37 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 4.32 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 4.28 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 4.24 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 4.19 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 4.15 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 4.1 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 4.05 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 4.01 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 3.96 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 3.91 births per woman | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.67 births per woman | 6.6 births per woman | 6.72 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.69 births per woman | 6.64 births per woman | 6.74 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.37 births per woman | 6.03 births per woman | 6.62 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.61 births per woman | 5.31 births per woman | 5.95 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.96 births per woman | 4.67 births per woman | 5.24 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.36 births per woman | 4.15 births per woman | 4.6 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.01 births per woman | 3.91 births per woman | 4.1 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 6 Mali 5.51 births per woman compare
- 7 Angola 5.05 births per woman compare
- 8 Burundi 4.79 births per woman compare
- 9 Afghanistan 4.76 births per woman compare
- 10 Mozambique 4.69 births per woman compare
- 11 Mauritania 4.62 births per woman compare
- 12 Tanzania 4.54 births per woman compare
More health data for Least developed countries
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1892 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1949 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 1.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.3842 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.2842 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Least developed countries?
- Fertility rate, total in Least developed countries was 3.91 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 6.74 births per woman in 1971.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.91 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Least developed countries rank for fertility rate, total?
- Least developed countries ranks 9th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.