Fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Fertility rate, total was 1.98 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.98 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
26th
of 47 groups
All-time high
6.05 births per woman
in 1964
All-time low
1.98 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) is 1.98 births per woman, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 6.05 births per woman in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.98 births per woman, in 2024.
That places South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.01 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 6.03 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 6.04 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 6.05 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 6.01 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 5.95 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 5.91 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 5.85 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 5.78 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 5.73 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 5.68 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 5.6 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 5.53 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 5.46 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 5.34 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 5.27 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 5.16 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 5.05 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 4.97 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 4.93 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 4.86 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 4.77 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 4.7 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 4.64 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 4.54 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 4.48 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 4.38 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 4.28 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 4.19 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 4.09 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 3.99 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 3.89 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 3.8 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 3.73 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 3.64 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 3.57 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 3.51 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 3.44 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 3.37 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 3.33 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 3.28 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 3.2 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 3.1 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 3.03 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 2.94 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 2.85 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 2.76 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 2.69 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 2.64 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 2.57 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 2.5 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 2.44 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 2.38 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 2.28 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 2.28 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 2.27 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 2.19 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 2.18 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.12 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 2.06 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 2.03 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 2.01 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 2 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.98 births per woman | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.96 births per woman | 5.78 births per woman | 6.05 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.38 births per woman | 4.97 births per woman | 5.73 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.58 births per woman | 4.19 births per woman | 4.93 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7 births per woman | 3.37 births per woman | 4.09 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.98 births per woman | 2.64 births per woman | 3.33 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.32 births per woman | 2.12 births per woman | 2.57 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.02 births per woman | 1.98 births per woman | 2.06 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
More health data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 2.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, female, per capita 0.0146 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 2.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, per capita 0.022 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 2.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Fertility rate, total in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 1.98 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 South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 6.05 births per woman in 1964.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.98 births per woman in 2024.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for fertility rate, total?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.