Fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Fertility rate: births per woman was 3.72 live births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.72 live births per woman
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
37th
of 236 countries
All-time high
7.23 live births per woman
in 1962
All-time low
3.63 live births per woman
in 2006
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe is 3.72 live births per woman, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe peaked at 7.23 live births per woman in 1962 and was at its lowest, 3.63 live births per woman, in 2006.
Zimbabwe ranks 37th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.04 live births per woman | — |
| 1951 | 7.06 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 7.07 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 7.08 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 7.09 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 7.1 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 7.12 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 7.14 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 7.16 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 7.17 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 7.2 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 7.21 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 7.23 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 7.23 live births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1964 | 7.23 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7.23 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 7.2 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 7.16 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 7.11 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 7.04 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 6.98 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 6.94 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 6.94 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 6.94 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 6.88 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 6.83 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 6.77 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.71 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 6.66 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 6.59 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 6.52 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 6.45 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 6.33 live births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 6.2 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.04 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 5.87 live births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 5.69 live births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 5.5 live births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 5.28 live births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 5.07 live births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 4.88 live births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 4.71 live births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 4.57 live births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 4.39 live births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 4.28 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.15 live births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 4.11 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 4.08 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 4.07 live births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 4.06 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 4.01 live births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 3.98 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.92 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 3.86 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 3.78 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 3.69 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 3.63 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 3.68 live births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.78 live births per woman | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.95 live births per woman | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 4.04 live births per woman | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 4.13 live births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 4.13 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 4.11 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 4.01 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 3.91 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 3.83 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 3.77 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.74 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 3.75 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 3.75 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.77 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.77 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 3.72 live births per woman | -1.1% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 3.72 live births per woman is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.15 live births per woman, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 3.72 live births per woman is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4 live births per woman, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.1 live births per woman | 7.04 live births per woman | 7.17 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.18 live births per woman | 7.04 live births per woman | 7.23 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.82 live births per woman | 6.59 live births per woman | 6.98 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.89 live births per woman | 5.07 live births per woman | 6.52 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.33 live births per woman | 4.06 live births per woman | 4.88 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.83 live births per woman | 3.63 live births per woman | 4.01 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.94 live births per woman | 3.74 live births per woman | 4.13 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.75 live births per woman | 3.72 live births per woman | 3.77 live births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe?
- Fertility rate: births per woman in Zimbabwe was 3.72 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 7.23 live births per woman in 1962.
- What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.63 live births per woman in 2006.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for fertility rate: births per woman?
- Zimbabwe ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.