Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 1.55 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.55 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
142nd
of 218 countries
All-time high
2.93 births per woman
in 1964
All-time low
1.55 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in United Kingdom, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate, total in United Kingdom stood at 1.55 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in United Kingdom peaked at 2.93 births per woman in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.55 births per woman, in 2024.
United Kingdom ranks 142nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.69 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 2.78 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 2.86 births per woman | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 2.88 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 2.93 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 2.86 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 2.78 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 2.68 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1968 | 2.6 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 2.51 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1970 | 2.44 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 2.41 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 2.2 births per woman | -8.7% |
| 1973 | 2.04 births per woman | -7.3% |
| 1974 | 1.92 births per woman | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 1.81 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1976 | 1.74 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 1.69 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.75 births per woman | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 1.86 births per woman | +6.3% |
| 1980 | 1.9 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 1.82 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1982 | 1.78 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 1.77 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 1.77 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.79 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 1.78 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 1.81 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.82 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.79 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 1.83 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 1.82 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.79 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 1.76 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 1.74 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.71 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 1.73 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 1.71 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 1.68 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 1.64 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 1.63 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 1.63 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.7 births per woman | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 1.75 births per woman | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 1.76 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 1.82 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 1.86 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 1.91 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 1.89 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 1.92 births per woman | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.91 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 1.92 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 1.83 births per woman | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1.81 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 1.8 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.79 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.74 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 1.68 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 1.63 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 1.57 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 1.58 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.56 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.56 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.55 births per woman | -0.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1.55 births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1.55 births per woman is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.44 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.76 births per woman | 2.51 births per woman | 2.93 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.99 births per woman | 1.69 births per woman | 2.44 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.8 births per woman | 1.77 births per woman | 1.9 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.75 births per woman | 1.68 births per woman | 1.83 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.76 births per woman | 1.63 births per woman | 1.91 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8 births per woman | 1.63 births per woman | 1.92 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.56 births per woman | 1.55 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 139 Iceland 1.56 births per woman compare
- 139 Kuwait 1.56 births per woman compare
- 139 Maldives 1.56 births per woman compare
- 143 Isle of Man 1.54 births per woman compare
- 144 Malaysia 1.54 births per woman compare
- 145 Kosovo 1.54 births per woman compare
- 145 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 1.54 births per woman compare
More health data for United Kingdom
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 461 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in United Kingdom?
- Fertility rate, total in United Kingdom was 1.55 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2.93 births per woman in 1964.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 births per woman in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for fertility rate, total?
- United Kingdom ranks 142nd out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
Download this data
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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.