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Fertility & birth rates in China and Estonia

Updated on by Georank team

China has an annual birth rate of 6.39 births per 1,000 people, compared to 8 for Estonia. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1 in China and 1.31 in Estonia — 31.1% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -77.6% in China and by -33.8% in Estonia — in 1960, it was 4.45 and 1.98, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • China is ranked 191/196 by birth rate compared to 176/196 for Estonia.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.3 in China — it's 31.2 in Estonia.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 5.23 in China vs 5.03 in Estonia.
  • In China, 22.3% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 21.1% in Estonia.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.15% in China and -0.37% in Estonia.

Birth rate data compared

China Estonia
Fertility rate 1 1.31
Birth rate 6.39 8
Birth rate rank 191/196 176/196
Age at first childbirth n/a 28.7 years
Average age at childbearing 29.3 years 31.2 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 5.15 4.42
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 57.4 57.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 8.77 13.5
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 22.3% 21.1%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 80.5% 60.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.9% 99.6%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.02% 0.005%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.28% 0.1%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.45% 0.16%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.62% 0.21%
Population change due to births and deaths -2,087,851 -5,070
Natural population change rank 196/196 167/196
Natural population change rate -0.15% -0.37%
Population growth -0.12% +0.12%
Population growth rank 173/197 157/197
Life expectancy 78.4 years 79.5 years

Fertility rate in China vs Estonia chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in China was 1 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.31 in Estonia in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check China vs Estonia population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

China
Factual

UN forecast
Estonia
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
China Estonia
1960 4.45 1.98
1961 3.86 1.98
1962 6.09 1.95
1963 7.51 1.89
1964 6.67 1.94
1965 6.61 1.88
1966 6.31 1.87
1967 5.81 1.9
1968 6.51 2.03
1969 6.18 2.13
1970 6.09 2.17
1971 5.52 2.19
1972 5.11 2.13
1973 4.73 2.06
1974 4.17 2.07
1975 3.57 2.04
1976 3.24 2.07
1977 2.84 2.06
1978 2.72 2.02
1979 2.75 2
1980 2.74 2.02
1981 2.79 2.07
1982 2.97 2.07
1983 2.56 2.16
1984 2.61 2.17
1985 2.63 2.13
1986 2.72 2.18
1987 2.76 2.27
1988 2.54 2.27
1989 2.52 2.22
1990 2.51 2.05
1991 1.93 1.8
1992 1.78 1.71
1993 1.69 1.49
1994 1.63 1.42
1995 1.59 1.38
1996 1.55 1.37
1997 1.53 1.32
1998 1.52 1.28
1999 1.53 1.3
2000 1.63 1.36
2001 1.56 1.32
2002 1.57 1.36
2003 1.57 1.37
2004 1.61 1.47
2005 1.62 1.52
2006 1.64 1.58
2007 1.67 1.69
2008 1.7 1.72
2009 1.71 1.7
2010 1.69 1.72
2011 1.67 1.61
2012 1.8 1.56
2013 1.71 1.52
2014 1.77 1.54
2015 1.67 1.58
2016 1.77 1.6
2017 1.8 1.59
2018 1.54 1.67
2019 1.5 1.66
2020 1.24 1.58
2021 1.12 1.61
2022 1.03 1.41
2023 1 1.31
2024 1.01 1.32
2025 1.02 1.33
2026 1.03 1.34
2027 1.04 1.35
2028 1.05 1.36
2029 1.05 1.37
2030 1.06 1.38
2031 1.07 1.39
2032 1.08 1.39
2033 1.08 1.4
2034 1.09 1.4
2035 1.1 1.41
2036 1.1 1.41
2037 1.11 1.42
2038 1.12 1.42
2039 1.12 1.42
2040 1.13 1.43
2041 1.13 1.43
2042 1.14 1.44
2043 1.15 1.44
2044 1.15 1.44
2045 1.16 1.45
2046 1.16 1.45
2047 1.17 1.46
2048 1.17 1.46
2049 1.18 1.46
2050 1.18 1.46

Children 0-14 years as share of population

China
Factual

UN forecast
Estonia
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
China Estonia
1960 40.3% 23.1%
1961 40% 23.3%
1962 40% 23.3%
1963 40.6% 23.2%
1964 41.2% 23%
1965 41.5% 22.8%
1966 41.5% 22.6%
1967 41.3% 22.3%
1968 41% 22.2%
1969 41% 22.1%
1970 40.8% 22.1%
1971 40.7% 22%
1972 40.4% 22%
1973 40.1% 21.9%
1974 40.2% 21.8%
1975 40.2% 21.6%
1976 40.3% 21.6%
1977 39.8% 21.5%
1978 38.6% 21.5%
1979 37.2% 21.6%
1980 36.1% 21.7%
1981 35.1% 21.8%
1982 34.3% 21.9%
1983 33.3% 22%
1984 32.2% 22.1%
1985 31.2% 22.1%
1986 30.4% 22.1%
1987 29.8% 22.2%
1988 29.3% 22.2%
1989 28.9% 22.3%
1990 28.8% 22.3%
1991 28.6% 22.1%
1992 28.4% 21.8%
1993 28.2% 21.4%
1994 27.8% 21.1%
1995 27.4% 20.7%
1996 27% 20.3%
1997 26.3% 19.8%
1998 25.7% 19.2%
1999 25.2% 18.4%
2000 24.5% 17.6%
2001 23.8% 17.2%
2002 22.9% 16.6%
2003 22% 16.1%
2004 21.2% 15.6%
2005 20.3% 15.2%
2006 19.6% 15%
2007 19.2% 14.9%
2008 18.9% 14.9%
2009 18.6% 15%
2010 18.5% 15.2%
2011 18.3% 15.4%
2012 18.3% 15.6%
2013 18.3% 15.7%
2014 18.3% 15.9%
2015 18.3% 16%
2016 18.3% 16.2%
2017 18.4% 16.3%
2018 18.3% 16.4%
2019 18.2% 16.4%
2020 18% 16.4%
2021 17.6% 16.4%
2022 17.1% 16.2%
2023 16.6% 16%
2024 16% 15.6%
2025 15.4% 15.3%
2026 14.8% 14.9%
2027 14.1% 14.6%
2028 13.5% 14.3%
2029 12.8% 14%
2030 12.1% 13.7%
2031 11.5% 13.4%
2032 10.8% 13.1%
2033 10.3% 12.8%
2034 9.83% 12.4%
2035 9.53% 12.2%
2036 9.37% 12%
2037 9.31% 11.8%
2038 9.31% 11.8%
2039 9.34% 11.9%
2040 9.38% 11.9%
2041 9.43% 12%
2042 9.49% 12.1%
2043 9.56% 12.2%
2044 9.63% 12.3%
2045 9.71% 12.5%
2046 9.78% 12.6%
2047 9.85% 12.8%
2048 9.9% 12.9%
2049 9.93% 13%
2050 9.94% 13.1%

Children aged 0-14 make up 16% of the population in China and 15.6% in Estonia in 2024, compared to 28.8% and 22.3% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of China and Estonia compared.

Natural population change in China vs Estonia by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.31% in China and -0.21% in Estonia. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

China
Estonia

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
China Estonia
1960 -3,048,510 7,511
1961 2,496,047 7,228
1962 17,969,132 6,457
1963 22,742,225 6,043
1964 19,302,532 6,897
1965 20,296,950 5,437
1966 19,282,187 4,842
1967 19,263,662 5,012
1968 21,206,083 5,592
1969 20,760,332 5,515
1970 21,137,076 6,257
1971 19,622,980 7,160
1972 19,102,585 6,267
1973 18,423,727 5,623
1974 15,738,118 5,956
1975 14,378,237 4,717
1976 11,782,472 4,319
1977 11,378,068 4,931
1978 11,473,980 4,088
1979 11,250,148 3,818
1980 11,647,260 3,989
1981 14,461,027 4,612
1982 15,815,318 5,244
1983 13,599,789 5,884
1984 13,561,671 5,163
1985 14,987,830 4,281
1986 16,609,920 6,160
1987 18,005,821 6,829
1988 17,328,640 6,404
1989 16,824,495 5,803
1990 16,335,313 2,825
1991 14,937,124 -312
1992 13,548,601 -1,993
1993 13,493,138 -5,976
1994 13,360,470 -8,044
1995 12,711,220 -7,327
1996 12,686,872 -5,662
1997 12,374,554 -6,018
1998 11,351,286 -7,208
1999 10,247,372 -6,117
2000 9,570,849 -5,309
2001 8,839,358 -5,830
2002 8,258,580 -5,380
2003 7,743,284 -5,072
2004 7,607,960 -3,679
2005 7,678,911 -2,981
2006 6,922,185 -2,559
2007 6,813,465 -1,608
2008 6,729,247 -668
2009 6,483,236 -400
2010 6,407,607 0
2011 8,245,065 -531
2012 10,075,174 -1,455
2013 8,043,116 -1,713
2014 9,205,180 -1,972
2015 6,788,911 -1,315
2016 9,062,269 -1,316
2017 7,790,880 -1,713
2018 5,302,433 -1,322
2019 4,673,713 -1,327
2020 2,046,095 -2,659
2021 480,203 -5,324
2022 -847,305 -5,665
2023 -2,087,851 -5,070

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: China vs Estonia

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 16 deaths per 100,000 live births in China, compared to 5 deaths in Estonia.

China
Estonia
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
China Estonia
1985 125 56
1986 120 46
1987 114 42
1988 108 43
1989 104 48
1990 102 44
1991 92 42
1992 86 40
1993 80 46
1994 76 60
1995 71 45
1996 67 36
1997 63 31
1998 60 32
1999 58 28
2000 56 27
2001 52 25
2002 50 22
2003 47 18
2004 45 15
2005 42 15
2006 40 13
2007 38 13
2008 38 11
2009 35 10
2010 34 8
2011 33 9
2012 32 8
2013 30 6
2014 28 7
2015 26 6
2016 25 7
2017 24 5
2018 22 5
2019 21 6
2020 20 6
2021 21 8
2022 18 7
2023 16 5

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.62% in China and 0.21% in Estonia. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

China
Estonia

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
China Estonia
1969 11.9% -
1970 11.3% -
1971 10.7% -
1972 10.2% -
1973 9.61% -
1974 9.05% -
1975 8.5% -
1976 7.97% -
1977 7.47% -
1978 7.01% -
1979 6.62% -
1980 6.28% 2.24%
1981 6% 2.16%
1982 5.78% 2.09%
1983 5.61% 2.02%
1984 5.5% 1.96%
1985 5.43% 1.91%
1986 5.4% 1.86%
1987 5.4% 1.83%
1988 5.4% 1.81%
1989 5.39% 1.79%
1990 5.37% 1.77%
1991 5.31% 1.75%
1992 5.22% 1.73%
1993 5.08% 1.69%
1994 4.93% 1.64%
1995 4.75% 1.57%
1996 4.56% 1.48%
1997 4.36% 1.39%
1998 4.14% 1.29%
1999 3.91% 1.2%
2000 3.67% 1.1%
2001 3.42% 1.01%
2002 3.15% 0.93%
2003 2.89% 0.85%
2004 2.64% 0.78%
2005 2.4% 0.71%
2006 2.19% 0.65%
2007 2.01% 0.59%
2008 1.85% 0.54%
2009 1.71% 0.5%
2010 1.58% 0.46%
2011 1.46% 0.42%
2012 1.35% 0.39%
2013 1.25% 0.36%
2014 1.15% 0.34%
2015 1.07% 0.32%
2016 0.99% 0.3%
2017 0.92% 0.28%
2018 0.86% 0.27%
2019 0.8% 0.25%
2020 0.75% 0.24%
2021 0.7% 0.23%
2022 0.66% 0.22%
2023 0.62% 0.21%

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Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs China vs Estonia
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