Skip to content

Fertility & birth rates in Benin and Gabon

Updated on by Georank team

Benin has an annual birth rate of 33.9 births per 1,000 people, compared to 27.7 for Gabon. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.56 in Benin and 3.65 in Gabon — 20% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -27.5% in Benin and by -17.5% in Gabon — in 1960, it was 6.28 and 4.42, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Benin is ranked 14/196 by birth rate compared to 42/196 for Gabon.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 20.5 years in Benin, compared to 19.6 years in Gabon.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29 in Benin — it's 28.5 in Gabon.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 77.8 in Benin vs 91.7 in Gabon.
  • In Benin, 23.9% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 24.6% in Gabon.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.51% in Benin and +2.14% in Gabon.

Birth rate data compared

Benin Gabon
Fertility rate 4.56 3.65
Birth rate 33.9 27.7
Birth rate rank 14/196 42/196
Age at first childbirth 20.5 years 19.6 years
Average age at childbearing 29 years 28.5 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 75.2 87.1
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 216.4 160.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 69.3 52.9
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 23.9% 24.6%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 16.9% 17.3%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 78.1% 89.3%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.52% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.8% 1.68%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 4.64% 2.65%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 7.79% 3.32%
Population change due to births and deaths +353,933 +53,167
Natural population change rank 49/196 91/196
Natural population change rate +2.51% +2.14%
Population growth +2.49% +2.18%
Population growth rank 28/197 46/197
Life expectancy 61.1 years 68.7 years

Fertility rate in Benin vs Gabon chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Benin was 4.56 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.65 in Gabon in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Benin vs Gabon population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Benin
Factual

UN forecast
Gabon
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Benin Gabon
1960 6.28 4.42
1961 6.4 4.5
1962 6.46 4.59
1963 6.51 4.65
1964 6.57 4.71
1965 6.61 4.79
1966 6.63 4.86
1967 6.64 4.92
1968 6.67 4.98
1969 6.71 5.05
1970 6.74 5.1
1971 6.77 5.16
1972 6.8 5.24
1973 6.81 5.29
1974 6.82 5.33
1975 6.83 5.39
1976 6.83 5.46
1977 6.83 5.52
1978 6.82 5.57
1979 6.91 5.61
1980 6.99 5.66
1981 7.06 5.73
1982 7.06 5.74
1983 7.05 5.76
1984 7.03 5.73
1985 7 5.71
1986 6.96 5.69
1987 6.92 5.67
1988 6.87 5.62
1989 6.82 5.55
1990 6.74 5.46
1991 6.67 5.37
1992 6.59 5.29
1993 6.51 5.19
1994 6.42 5.04
1995 6.33 4.88
1996 6.28 4.74
1997 6.23 4.66
1998 6.14 4.58
1999 6.03 4.5
2000 5.94 4.47
2001 5.85 4.42
2002 5.79 4.36
2003 5.76 4.3
2004 5.72 4.25
2005 5.69 4.21
2006 5.67 4.17
2007 5.63 4.14
2008 5.55 4.12
2009 5.49 4.14
2010 5.45 4.15
2011 5.44 4.15
2012 5.43 4.09
2013 5.41 4.02
2014 5.37 3.95
2015 5.32 3.92
2016 5.25 3.92
2017 5.16 3.91
2018 5.03 3.91
2019 4.9 3.88
2020 4.8 3.83
2021 4.71 3.78
2022 4.63 3.71
2023 4.56 3.65
2024 4.48 3.59
2025 4.42 3.54
2026 4.34 3.49
2027 4.27 3.43
2028 4.19 3.37
2029 4.12 3.33
2030 4.05 3.29
2031 3.98 3.24
2032 3.9 3.2
2033 3.85 3.16
2034 3.79 3.12
2035 3.74 3.08
2036 3.68 3.04
2037 3.62 3.01
2038 3.57 2.97
2039 3.52 2.94
2040 3.48 2.91
2041 3.43 2.88
2042 3.39 2.84
2043 3.35 2.81
2044 3.3 2.78
2045 3.26 2.75
2046 3.23 2.73
2047 3.18 2.7
2048 3.14 2.67
2049 3.1 2.64
2050 3.06 2.62

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Benin
Factual

UN forecast
Gabon
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Benin Gabon
1960 39.1% 31.4%
1961 39.5% 31.8%
1962 39.9% 32.2%
1963 40.3% 32.6%
1964 40.8% 33%
1965 41.2% 33.5%
1966 41.6% 33.9%
1967 42.1% 34.3%
1968 42.5% 34.7%
1969 42.8% 35.1%
1970 43.2% 35.4%
1971 43.5% 35.8%
1972 43.8% 36.3%
1973 44.1% 36.7%
1974 44.3% 37.1%
1975 44.5% 37.6%
1976 44.7% 38%
1977 44.8% 38.4%
1978 45% 38.8%
1979 45.1% 39.2%
1980 45.2% 39.6%
1981 45.3% 39.9%
1982 45.5% 40.3%
1983 45.6% 40.7%
1984 45.7% 41%
1985 45.8% 41.4%
1986 45.9% 41.6%
1987 46% 41.9%
1988 46.1% 42.1%
1989 46.1% 42.3%
1990 46.1% 42.4%
1991 46.2% 42.5%
1992 46.2% 42.5%
1993 45.7% 42.5%
1994 45.5% 42.4%
1995 45.9% 42.3%
1996 46% 42%
1997 45.9% 41.8%
1998 45.8% 41.5%
1999 45.6% 41.2%
2000 45.4% 40.8%
2001 45.3% 40.5%
2002 45.1% 40.1%
2003 44.9% 39.7%
2004 44.8% 39.4%
2005 44.6% 39%
2006 44.4% 38.6%
2007 44.4% 38.2%
2008 44.3% 37.9%
2009 44.1% 37.6%
2010 43.9% 37.3%
2011 43.8% 37.1%
2012 43.7% 37%
2013 43.6% 36.8%
2014 43.5% 36.7%
2015 43.4% 36.6%
2016 43.3% 36.6%
2017 43.2% 36.6%
2018 43.1% 36.7%
2019 42.9% 36.8%
2020 42.7% 36.8%
2021 42.4% 36.8%
2022 42.1% 36.8%
2023 41.8% 36.7%
2024 41.6% 36.5%
2025 41.3% 36.2%
2026 40.9% 35.9%
2027 40.6% 35.6%
2028 40.2% 35.3%
2029 39.8% 34.9%
2030 39.4% 34.6%
2031 39% 34.2%
2032 38.6% 33.8%
2033 38.2% 33.4%
2034 37.8% 33%
2035 37.5% 32.7%
2036 37.1% 32.3%
2037 36.8% 32%
2038 36.5% 31.8%
2039 36.2% 31.5%
2040 35.9% 31.3%
2041 35.6% 31.1%
2042 35.3% 31%
2043 35% 30.8%
2044 34.8% 30.6%
2045 34.5% 30.5%
2046 34.2% 30.3%
2047 33.9% 30.2%
2048 33.7% 30%
2049 33.4% 29.8%
2050 33.1% 29.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 41.6% of the population in Benin and 36.5% in Gabon in 2024, compared to 46.1% and 42.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Benin and Gabon compared.

Natural population change in Benin vs Gabon by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.72% in Benin and +2.31% in Gabon. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Benin
Gabon

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Benin Gabon
1960 44,564 5,732
1961 48,838 6,161
1962 51,664 6,609
1963 54,514 7,001
1964 57,352 7,402
1965 60,154 7,902
1966 62,169 8,410
1967 64,709 8,883
1968 67,327 9,417
1969 70,155 9,969
1970 73,156 10,635
1971 76,034 11,357
1972 79,415 12,095
1973 82,422 12,731
1974 85,623 13,381
1975 89,350 14,162
1976 93,141 14,998
1977 97,200 15,842
1978 100,762 16,714
1979 106,782 17,553
1980 112,969 18,503
1981 118,634 19,528
1982 122,748 20,292
1983 126,349 21,162
1984 131,590 21,851
1985 136,621 22,617
1986 142,039 23,362
1987 147,783 24,212
1988 153,580 24,888
1989 157,235 25,359
1990 163,055 25,858
1991 168,174 26,334
1992 173,794 26,810
1993 179,858 27,235
1994 196,637 27,271
1995 194,481 27,290
1996 197,643 27,450
1997 203,182 28,053
1998 208,342 28,697
1999 213,074 29,330
2000 218,013 30,210
2001 222,877 30,941
2002 229,472 31,777
2003 237,962 32,633
2004 245,630 33,615
2005 253,795 34,766
2006 265,040 35,984
2007 271,305 37,394
2008 274,242 39,002
2009 280,204 41,037
2010 287,703 43,061
2011 296,348 44,922
2012 306,180 45,941
2013 315,804 46,829
2014 323,753 47,704
2015 330,573 48,876
2016 336,559 50,321
2017 339,763 51,455
2018 340,270 52,476
2019 339,817 53,185
2020 341,929 52,745
2021 341,103 52,611
2022 349,518 52,944
2023 353,933 53,167

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Benin vs Gabon

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 518 deaths per 100,000 live births in Benin, compared to 233 deaths in Gabon.

Benin
Gabon
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Benin Gabon
1985 910 373
1986 858 369
1987 817 366
1988 765 367
1989 732 366
1990 692 368
1991 666 369
1992 625 371
1993 591 364
1994 605 357
1995 586 341
1996 576 321
1997 556 290
1998 547 258
1999 536 216
2000 529 178
2001 532 160
2002 534 151
2003 532 134
2004 531 142
2005 514 175
2006 509 186
2007 501 173
2008 563 158
2009 598 158
2010 607 144
2011 613 149
2012 618 173
2013 607 235
2014 605 273
2015 606 239
2016 604 215
2017 592 184
2018 585 176
2019 572 179
2020 578 194
2021 584 249
2022 547 216
2023 518 233

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 7.79% in Benin and 3.32% in Gabon. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Benin
Gabon

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Benin Gabon
1960 31.2% 21.9%
1961 30.7% 21.2%
1962 30.2% 20.5%
1963 29.6% 19.8%
1964 29.1% 19.2%
1965 28.5% 18.6%
1966 28% 17.9%
1967 27.5% 17.4%
1968 27% 16.8%
1969 26.6% 16.2%
1970 26.1% 15.7%
1971 25.7% 15.2%
1972 25.2% 14.7%
1973 24.7% 14.2%
1974 24.2% 13.7%
1975 23.7% 13.3%
1976 23.1% 12.8%
1977 22.6% 12.4%
1978 22.1% 12%
1979 21.6% 11.6%
1980 21.2% 11.2%
1981 20.8% 10.8%
1982 20.4% 10.5%
1983 20% 10.1%
1984 19.6% 9.81%
1985 19.2% 9.52%
1986 18.8% 9.26%
1987 18.4% 9.03%
1988 18% 8.82%
1989 17.6% 8.64%
1990 17.2% 8.49%
1991 16.8% 8.35%
1992 16.4% 8.24%
1993 16% 8.14%
1994 15.6% 8.06%
1995 15.2% 7.98%
1996 14.9% 7.89%
1997 14.6% 7.79%
1998 14.3% 7.67%
1999 13.9% 7.53%
2000 13.6% 7.37%
2001 13.3% 7.19%
2002 13% 7.01%
2003 12.7% 6.81%
2004 12.4% 6.6%
2005 12.1% 6.39%
2006 11.8% 6.21%
2007 11.5% 5.99%
2008 11.3% 5.77%
2009 11.1% 5.57%
2010 10.8% 5.35%
2011 10.6% 5.14%
2012 10.4% 4.94%
2013 10.2% 4.73%
2014 9.93% 4.57%
2015 9.71% 4.42%
2016 9.5% 4.24%
2017 9.27% 4.1%
2018 9.05% 3.96%
2019 8.8% 3.8%
2020 8.55% 3.62%
2021 8.31% 3.52%
2022 8.04% 3.41%
2023 7.79% 3.32%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Benin vs Gabon
Afghanistan Compare Compare
Albania Compare Compare
Algeria Compare Compare
Andorra Compare Compare
Angola Compare Compare
Antigua Compare Compare
Argentina Compare Compare
Armenia Compare Compare
Australia Compare Compare
Austria Compare Compare
Azerbaijan Compare Compare
Bahamas Compare Compare
Bahrain Compare Compare
Bangladesh Compare Compare
Barbados Compare Compare
Belarus Compare Compare
Belgium Compare Compare
Belize Compare Compare
Bhutan Compare Compare
Bolivia Compare Compare
Bosnia Compare Compare
Botswana Compare Compare
Brazil Compare Compare
Brunei Compare Compare
Bulgaria Compare Compare
Burkina Faso Compare Compare
Burundi Compare Compare
Cambodia Compare Compare
Cameroon Compare Compare
Canada Compare Compare
Cape Verde Compare Compare
Cayman Islands Compare Compare
CAR Compare Compare
Chad Compare Compare
Chile Compare Compare
China Compare Compare
Colombia Compare Compare
Comoros Compare Compare
Congo Compare Compare
Costa Rica Compare Compare
Croatia Compare Compare
Cuba Compare Compare
Curacao Compare Compare
Cyprus Compare Compare
Czech Republic Compare Compare
DR Congo Compare Compare
Denmark Compare Compare
Djibouti Compare Compare
Dominica Compare Compare
Dominican Republic Compare Compare
East Timor Compare Compare
Ecuador Compare Compare
Egypt Compare Compare
El Salvador Compare Compare
Equatorial Guinea Compare Compare
Eritrea Compare Compare
Estonia Compare Compare
Eswatini Compare Compare
Ethiopia Compare Compare
Fiji Compare Compare
Finland Compare Compare
France Compare Compare
Gambia Compare Compare
Georgia Compare Compare
Germany Compare Compare
Ghana Compare Compare
Greece Compare Compare
Grenada Compare Compare
Guatemala Compare Compare
Guinea Compare Compare
Guinea-Bissau Compare Compare
Guyana Compare Compare
Haiti Compare Compare
Honduras Compare Compare
Hungary Compare Compare
Iceland Compare Compare
India Compare Compare
Indonesia Compare Compare
Iran Compare Compare
Iraq Compare Compare
Ireland Compare Compare
Israel Compare Compare
Italy Compare Compare
Ivory Coast Compare Compare
Jamaica Compare Compare
Japan Compare Compare
Jordan Compare Compare
Kazakhstan Compare Compare
Kenya Compare Compare
Kiribati Compare Compare
Kuwait Compare Compare
Kyrgyzstan Compare Compare
Laos Compare Compare
Latvia Compare Compare
Lebanon Compare Compare
Lesotho Compare Compare
Liberia Compare Compare
Libya Compare Compare
Liechtenstein Compare Compare
Lithuania Compare Compare
Luxembourg Compare Compare
Madagascar Compare Compare
Malawi Compare Compare
Malaysia Compare Compare
Maldives Compare Compare
Mali Compare Compare
Malta Compare Compare
Marshall Islands Compare Compare
Mauritania Compare Compare
Mauritius Compare Compare
Mexico Compare Compare
Moldova Compare Compare
Monaco Compare Compare
Mongolia Compare Compare
Montenegro Compare Compare
Morocco Compare Compare
Mozambique Compare Compare
Myanmar Compare Compare
Namibia Compare Compare
Nauru Compare Compare
Nepal Compare Compare
Netherlands Compare Compare
New Zealand Compare Compare
Nicaragua Compare Compare
Niger Compare Compare
Nigeria Compare Compare
North Korea Compare Compare
North Macedonia Compare Compare
Norway Compare Compare
Oman Compare Compare
Pakistan Compare Compare
Palau Compare Compare
Palestine Compare Compare
Panama Compare Compare
Papua New Guinea Compare Compare
Paraguay Compare Compare
Peru Compare Compare
Philippines Compare Compare
Poland Compare Compare
Portugal Compare Compare
Qatar Compare Compare
Romania Compare Compare
Russia Compare Compare
Rwanda Compare Compare
Saint Kitts Compare Compare
Saint Lucia Compare Compare
Saint Vincent Compare Compare
Samoa Compare Compare
San Marino Compare Compare
Sao Tome Compare Compare
Saudi Arabia Compare Compare
Senegal Compare Compare
Serbia Compare Compare
Seychelles Compare Compare
Sierra Leone Compare Compare
Singapore Compare Compare
Slovakia Compare Compare
Slovenia Compare Compare
Solomon Islands Compare Compare
Somalia Compare Compare
South Africa Compare Compare
South Korea Compare Compare
South Sudan Compare Compare
Spain Compare Compare
Sri Lanka Compare Compare
Sudan Compare Compare
Suriname Compare Compare
Sweden Compare Compare
Switzerland Compare Compare
Syria Compare Compare
Taiwan Compare Compare
Tajikistan Compare Compare
Tanzania Compare Compare
Thailand Compare Compare
Togo Compare Compare
Tonga Compare Compare
Trinidad Compare Compare
Tunisia Compare Compare
Turkey Compare Compare
Turkmenistan Compare Compare
Tuvalu Compare Compare
Uganda Compare Compare
Ukraine Compare Compare
UAE Compare Compare
United Kingdom Compare Compare
United States Compare Compare
Uruguay Compare Compare
Uzbekistan Compare Compare
Vanuatu Compare Compare
Venezuela Compare Compare
Vietnam Compare Compare
Yemen Compare Compare
Zambia Compare Compare
Zimbabwe Compare Compare