Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 3.67 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate, total in Zimbabwe, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 3.67 births per woman for fertility rate, total in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Zimbabwe peaked at 7.23 births per woman in 1962 and was at its lowest, 3.63 births per woman, in 2006.
Zimbabwe ranks 37th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.2 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 7.21 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 7.23 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 7.23 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1964 | 7.23 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7.23 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 7.2 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 7.16 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 7.11 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 7.04 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 6.98 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 6.94 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 6.94 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 6.94 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 6.88 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 6.83 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 6.77 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.71 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 6.66 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 6.59 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 6.52 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 6.45 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 6.33 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 6.2 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.04 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 5.87 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 5.69 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 5.5 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 5.28 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 5.07 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 4.88 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 4.71 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 4.57 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 4.39 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 4.28 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.15 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 4.11 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 4.08 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 4.07 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 4.06 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 4.01 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 3.98 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.92 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 3.86 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 3.78 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 3.69 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 3.63 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 3.68 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.78 births per woman | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.95 births per woman | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 4.04 births per woman | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 4.13 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 4.13 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 4.11 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 4.01 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 3.91 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 3.83 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 3.77 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.74 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 3.75 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 3.75 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.77 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.77 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 3.72 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 3.67 births per woman | -1.3% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 3.67 births per woman is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.12 births per woman, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 3.67 births per woman is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.91 births per woman, 94% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.18 births per woman | 7.04 births per woman | 7.23 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.82 births per woman | 6.59 births per woman | 6.98 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.89 births per woman | 5.07 births per woman | 6.52 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.33 births per woman | 4.06 births per woman | 4.88 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.83 births per woman | 3.63 births per woman | 4.01 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.94 births per woman | 3.74 births per woman | 4.13 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.74 births per woman | 3.67 births per woman | 3.77 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 34 Guinea-Bissau 3.76 births per woman compare
- 35 Sierra Leone 3.7 births per woman compare
- 36 Eritrea 3.68 births per woman compare
- 38 Rwanda 3.65 births per woman compare
- 39 Sao Tome and Principe 3.6 births per woman compare
- 40 Gabon 3.59 births per woman compare
More health data for Zimbabwe
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,457 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9632 % 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 0.0689 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9673 % 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 0.0701 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Zimbabwe?
- Fertility rate, total in Zimbabwe was 3.67 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 7.23 births per woman in 1962.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.63 births per woman in 2006.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for fertility rate, total?
- Zimbabwe ranks 37th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.