Countries in Africa Ranked by Fertility rate (2024)
Fertility rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Chad ranks #1 with 6.03 births per woman. Somalia, Fed. Rep. is second with 6.01 births per woman, 0.25% behind. The top five are Chad, Somalia, Fed. Rep., Congo, Dem. Rep., Central African Republic and Niger. The median across all 54 is 3.84 births per woman; Mauritius is last at 1.44 births per woman. Chad's figure has fallen 17% since 2000 (7.25 births per woman to 6.03 births per woman in 2024).
- #1
- Chad · 6.03 births per woman
- Median
- 3.84 births per woman
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Fertility rate (births per woman) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad | 6.03 |
| 2 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 6.01 |
| 3 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 5.98 |
| 4 | Central African Republic | 5.95 |
| 5 | Niger | 5.94 |
| 6 | Mali | 5.51 |
| 7 | Angola | 5.05 |
| 8 | Burundi | 4.79 |
| 9 | Mozambique | 4.69 |
| 10 | Mauritania | 4.63 |
| 11 | Tanzania | 4.54 |
| 12 | Benin | 4.48 |
| 13 | Nigeria | 4.38 |
| 14 | Sudan | 4.26 |
| 15 | Cameroon | 4.26 |
| 16 | Côte d'Ivoire | 4.23 |
| 17 | Uganda | 4.17 |
| 18 | Guinea | 4.13 |
| 19 | Togo | 4.12 |
| 20 | Equatorial Guinea | 4.12 |
| 21 | Burkina Faso | 4.11 |
| 22 | Congo, Rep. | 4.11 |
| 23 | Zambia | 4.04 |
| 24 | Madagascar | 3.91 |
| 25 | Ethiopia | 3.91 |
| 26 | Gambia, The | 3.91 |
| 27 | Liberia | 3.86 |
| 28 | Comoros | 3.82 |
| 29 | South Sudan | 3.79 |
| 30 | Senegal | 3.77 |
| 31 | Guinea-Bissau | 3.76 |
| 32 | Sierra Leone | 3.7 |
| 33 | Eritrea | 3.68 |
| 34 | Zimbabwe | 3.67 |
| 35 | Rwanda | 3.65 |
| 36 | São Tomé and Principe | 3.6 |
| 37 | Gabon | 3.59 |
| 38 | Malawi | 3.59 |
| 39 | Ghana | 3.34 |
| 40 | Namibia | 3.21 |
| 41 | Kenya | 3.17 |
| 42 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 2.74 |
| 43 | Algeria | 2.72 |
| 44 | Eswatini | 2.72 |
| 45 | Botswana | 2.7 |
| 46 | Lesotho | 2.66 |
| 47 | Djibouti | 2.62 |
| 48 | Libya | 2.3 |
| 49 | Morocco | 2.21 |
| 50 | South Africa | 2.21 |
| 51 | Seychelles | 1.85 |
| 52 | Tunisia | 1.82 |
| 53 | Cabo Verde | 1.51 |
| 54 | Mauritius | 1.44 |
About the top 10
#1 Chad
Chad ranks #1 on this list with 6.03 births per woman.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#2 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #2 on this list with 6.01 births per woman.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#3 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #3 on this list with 5.98 births per woman.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#4 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #4 on this list with 5.95 births per woman.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#5 Niger
Niger ranks #5 on this list with 5.94 births per woman.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#6 Mali
Mali ranks #6 on this list with 5.51 births per woman.
- Capital
- Bamako
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.2 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,193 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bamako.
Also ranks #6 in population ages 0-14 share · #6 in age dependency ratio · #6 in age dependency ratio (young).
#7 Angola
Angola ranks #7 on this list with 5.05 births per woman.
- Capital
- Luanda
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 39.04 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$122.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Luanda, Quilamba Quiaxi.
Also ranks #4 in gini index · #4 in oil rents share of gdp · #5 in income share of richest 10%.
#8 Burundi
Burundi ranks #8 on this list with 4.79 births per woman.
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#9 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #9 on this list with 4.69 births per woman.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#10 Mauritania
Mauritania ranks #10 on this list with 4.63 births per woman.
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,198 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nouakchott.
Also ranks #2 in gross capital formation rate · #3 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #8 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Fertility rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.DYN.TFRT.IN. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Fertility rate, total (births per woman): World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.