The countries where the most and the fewest children are born. What position does Romania occupy?

The World Bank Group reported on Wednesday (May 20) that the global birth rate is less than half the level of the 1960s, when the population boom after World War II took place.

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Statistics show that the top 10 countries with the highest birth rate are mostly in Africa. Of these, eight reported low contraceptive use among married women (20 percent or less), according to the World Bank Group.

Business Insider writes that in the countries with the lowest birth rates, economic problems are considered important factors.

According to the report, the world birth rate is 16 births per 1,000 inhabitants. In Romania, the birth rate is 8 births, according to the World Bank Group report, on a par with countries such as Austria, Bulgaria, Germany or Hungary.

Birth rates are falling at different rates worldwide, with high-income countries generally having lower birth rates. However, most states have followed a downward trend since the 1960s.

The AP pointed to poor job prospects and the high cost of living as causes of Japan's low birthrate, a phenomenon described by the country's former prime minister as a “silent emergency”. The data analyzed by the World Bank Group comes from the UN and national statistics.

Countries with the highest birth rate

1. The Central African Republic, which in 2024 had a birth rate of 46.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about six children per woman;
2. Chad, with a birth rate of 43.3 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about six children per woman;
3. Somalia had a birth rate of 42.3 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about six children per woman.
4. Niger had in 2024 a birth rate of 41.4 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 5.9 children per woman.
5. The Democratic Republic of Congo had a birth rate of 40.9 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about six children per woman.
6. Mali had in 2024 a birth rate of 39.5 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate in is about 5.5 children per woman.
7. Angola had a birth rate of 37.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about five children per woman.
8. Mozambique had in 2024 a birth rate of 37 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 4.7 children per woman.
9. Afghanistan had a birth rate of 35 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 4.8 children per woman.
10. Tanzania had in 2024 a birth rate of 34.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 4.5 children per woman.

Countries with the lowest birth rate

1. San Marino had in 2024 a birth rate of 4.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 1.2 children per woman.
2. South Korea had a birth rate of 4.7 births per 1,000 population in 2024. The fertility rate is about 0.7 children per woman.
3. Ukraine had a birth rate of 5.5 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. The fertility rate is about one child per woman.
4. Japan had a birth rate of 5.7 births per 1,000 population in 2024. The fertility rate is about 1.1 children per woman.
5. Taiwan had a birth rate of 5.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. Taiwan is not included separately in the statistics, but data from local authorities, cited by Xinhua, show that nearly 135,000 newborns were registered in a population of about 23.4 million people.
6. Italy had a birth rate of 6.3 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. The fertility rate is about 1.2 children per woman.
7. Spain had in 2024 a birth rate of 6.5 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about 1.1 children per woman.
8. Greece and Lithuania both had a birth rate of 6.6 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. The fertility rate is about 1.2 children per woman in Greece and 1.1 children per woman in Lithuania.
9. China had a birth rate of 6.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants. The fertility rate is about one child per woman.
10. Andorra had approximately 6.9 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024. The fertility rate is 1.1 children per woman.