According to data produced by Eurostat, the average number of children born across the EU was 1.58 per woman in 2015.
The global fertility rate is approximately two births per woman for industrialised countries and between 2 to 3.5 for developing nations.
According to Statista, the countries in Europe where women had the most babies in 2015 were…
Above EU average
- France – 1.96
- Ireland – 1.92
- Sweden – 1.85
- United Kingdom – 1.80
- Denmark – 1.71
- Latvia – 1.70
- Belgium – 1.70
- Lithuania – 1.70
- Netherlands – 1.66
- Finland – 1.65
- Estonia – 1.58
- Romania – 1.58
Countries that fell below the EU average included the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Germany, Malta, Italy, Spain and Poland.
What countries have the highest fertility rates worldwide?
In 2015, the country with the highest fertility rate was Niger with an average of 6.76 children per woman.
With a near fertility rate of almost 7 children per woman, Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world, closely followed by Mali. The population growth of Niger is amongst the top 10 highest in the world. Developing countries usually have a higher fertility rate due to lack of access to birth control, contraception and education.
Statistics show that the fertility rate per woman in low income countries is twice as high as the global average, hence why 9 out of the top 10 countries with the highest fertility rates are in Africa.
Which country has the lowest fertility rate?
According to a study conducted in 2016, Singapore is the country with the lowest fertility rate, estimated at 0.82 children per woman.
In developed countries, fertility rates and birth rates are usually much lower, as birth control is usually much easier to obtain and women often choose to pursue a career before beginning a family. Countries that have some of the lowest fertility rates are Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, the British Virgin Islands, Poland and Croatia. You can see a full list here.
