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Fertility & birth rates in Congo and France

Updated on by Georank team

The Congo has an annual birth rate of 30.6 births per 1,000 people, compared to 9.9 for France. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.16 in the Congo and 1.66 in France — 60.1% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -31.7% in the Congo and by -41.8% in France — in 1960, it was 6.09 and 2.85, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • The Congo is ranked 28/196 by birth rate compared to 148/196 for France.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 19.6 years in the Congo, compared to 29.1 years in France.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.6 in the Congo — it's 31.8 in France.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 109.9 in the Congo vs 3.51 in France.
  • In the Congo, 24% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 21% in France.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.43% in the Congo and +0.07% in France.

Birth rate data compared

Congo France
Fertility rate 4.16 1.66
Birth rate 30.6 9.9
Birth rate rank 28/196 148/196
Age at first childbirth 19.6 years 29.1 years
Average age at childbearing 28.6 years 31.8 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 105.9 3.14
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 180.6 58.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 58.2 17.2
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24% 21%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 18.3% 72.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 91.2% 98.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.24% 0.007%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 1.77% 0.27%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 2.76% 0.34%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4.05% 0.43%
Population change due to births and deaths +150,486 +47,802
Natural population change rank 69/196 97/196
Natural population change rate +2.43% +0.07%
Population growth +2.43% +0.34%
Population growth rank 33/197 147/197
Life expectancy 66.2 years 83.6 years

Fertility rate in Congo vs France chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in the Congo was 4.16 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.66 in France in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check the Congo vs France population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Congo
Factual

UN forecast
France
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Congo France
1960 6.09 2.85
1961 6.09 2.87
1962 6.1 2.89
1963 6.15 2.89
1964 6.18 2.87
1965 6.23 2.84
1966 6.27 2.8
1967 6.29 2.75
1968 6.33 2.69
1969 6.35 2.62
1970 6.38 2.55
1971 6.42 2.47
1972 6.44 2.38
1973 6.42 2.28
1974 6.39 2.18
1975 6.36 2.09
1976 6.32 2.01
1977 6.27 1.94
1978 6.21 1.89
1979 6.14 1.87
1980 6.07 1.85
1981 5.98 1.85
1982 5.85 1.86
1983 5.76 1.86
1984 5.66 1.86
1985 5.59 1.86
1986 5.51 1.85
1987 5.46 1.83
1988 5.39 1.81
1989 5.33 1.79
1990 5.27 1.77
1991 5.22 1.75
1992 5.18 1.74
1993 5.13 1.73
1994 5.1 1.73
1995 5.07 1.74
1996 5.03 1.75
1997 5 1.77
1998 4.91 1.78
1999 4.81 1.81
2000 4.72 1.89
2001 4.67 1.9
2002 4.7 1.88
2003 4.7 1.89
2004 4.69 1.92
2005 4.67 1.94
2006 4.65 2
2007 4.65 1.98
2008 4.73 2.01
2009 4.81 2
2010 4.85 2.03
2011 4.83 2.01
2012 4.79 2.01
2013 4.73 1.99
2014 4.67 2
2015 4.61 1.96
2016 4.55 1.92
2017 4.5 1.89
2018 4.44 1.87
2019 4.38 1.86
2020 4.33 1.83
2021 4.28 1.84
2022 4.22 1.79
2023 4.16 1.66
2024 4.11 1.66
2025 4.05 1.66
2026 3.99 1.66
2027 3.93 1.66
2028 3.88 1.66
2029 3.83 1.66
2030 3.78 1.66
2031 3.73 1.66
2032 3.68 1.66
2033 3.64 1.66
2034 3.59 1.66
2035 3.54 1.66
2036 3.5 1.66
2037 3.46 1.67
2038 3.42 1.66
2039 3.38 1.66
2040 3.35 1.66
2041 3.31 1.67
2042 3.27 1.67
2043 3.24 1.67
2044 3.2 1.67
2045 3.16 1.67
2046 3.13 1.67
2047 3.09 1.67
2048 3.06 1.67
2049 3.03 1.67
2050 3 1.67

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Congo
Factual

UN forecast
France
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Congo France
1960 42.7% 26.5%
1961 43% 26.5%
1962 43.3% 26.2%
1963 43.5% 26%
1964 43.7% 25.8%
1965 43.9% 25.6%
1966 44% 25.4%
1967 44.2% 25.3%
1968 44.3% 25.1%
1969 44.5% 25%
1970 44.7% 24.8%
1971 44.8% 24.7%
1972 45% 24.6%
1973 45.2% 24.4%
1974 45.4% 24.2%
1975 45.5% 23.9%
1976 45.7% 23.6%
1977 45.8% 23.3%
1978 45.8% 23%
1979 45.8% 22.7%
1980 45.7% 22.4%
1981 45.6% 22.1%
1982 45.4% 21.9%
1983 45.2% 21.7%
1984 45% 21.5%
1985 44.9% 21.3%
1986 44.7% 21%
1987 44.6% 20.7%
1988 44.5% 20.5%
1989 44.3% 20.3%
1990 44.2% 20.1%
1991 44% 20.1%
1992 43.8% 20%
1993 43.6% 19.9%
1994 43.4% 19.7%
1995 43.3% 19.5%
1996 43.2% 19.3%
1997 43.3% 19.1%
1998 43.3% 19%
1999 43.1% 19%
2000 42.5% 18.9%
2001 41.9% 18.9%
2002 41.9% 18.8%
2003 41.7% 18.7%
2004 41.4% 18.6%
2005 41.1% 18.5%
2006 40.9% 18.5%
2007 40.7% 18.4%
2008 40.7% 18.5%
2009 40.5% 18.5%
2010 40.4% 18.5%
2011 40.6% 18.5%
2012 41% 18.5%
2013 41.3% 18.4%
2014 41.7% 18.3%
2015 41.9% 18.2%
2016 42.1% 18.1%
2017 42.1% 17.9%
2018 42.1% 17.8%
2019 41.9% 17.6%
2020 41.8% 17.4%
2021 41.5% 17.2%
2022 41.3% 17%
2023 40.9% 16.8%
2024 40.4% 16.5%
2025 39.9% 16.2%
2026 39.4% 16%
2027 38.9% 15.7%
2028 38.4% 15.5%
2029 38% 15.3%
2030 37.6% 15.1%
2031 37.3% 15%
2032 37% 14.8%
2033 36.8% 14.8%
2034 36.6% 14.7%
2035 36.4% 14.7%
2036 36.2% 14.7%
2037 36% 14.7%
2038 35.8% 14.7%
2039 35.6% 14.8%
2040 35.5% 14.9%
2041 35.3% 15%
2042 35.1% 15.1%
2043 34.9% 15.2%
2044 34.7% 15.3%
2045 34.4% 15.4%
2046 34.2% 15.5%
2047 33.9% 15.5%
2048 33.6% 15.5%
2049 33.4% 15.6%
2050 33.1% 15.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 40.4% of the population in the Congo and 16.5% in France in 2024, compared to 44.2% and 20.1% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of the Congo and France compared.

Natural population change in Congo vs France by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.59% in the Congo and +0.2% in France. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Congo
France

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Congo France
1960 27,094 346,115
1961 28,220 354,504
1962 29,342 358,082
1963 30,832 361,694
1964 32,270 360,631
1965 33,865 354,132
1966 35,452 352,181
1967 36,866 339,843
1968 38,786 337,346
1969 40,532 329,831
1970 42,374 322,444
1971 44,431 309,747
1972 46,427 296,589
1973 48,017 282,979
1974 49,563 268,733
1975 51,155 248,413
1976 52,148 227,776
1977 53,179 217,946
1978 53,885 213,462
1979 54,723 208,923
1980 55,550 210,042
1981 56,603 222,414
1982 57,036 234,389
1983 58,120 235,655
1984 59,028 248,086
1985 60,359 249,328
1986 61,669 250,606
1987 63,183 251,971
1988 64,629 247,672
1989 65,944 243,361
1990 67,241 238,870
1991 68,534 234,216
1992 69,973 229,502
1993 71,119 224,592
1994 72,857 201,704
1995 74,189 220,303
1996 75,628 221,092
1997 66,149 215,885
1998 72,450 222,705
1999 76,204 229,907
2000 78,491 268,042
2001 84,876 263,867
2002 88,497 253,430
2003 91,326 230,325
2004 96,577 282,185
2005 101,344 271,677
2006 106,876 305,387
2007 112,459 288,076
2008 120,711 283,250
2009 126,904 278,238
2010 136,908 286,116
2011 140,371 280,966
2012 142,464 256,065
2013 142,080 244,192
2014 141,674 265,248
2015 141,539 206,300
2016 141,358 193,500
2017 141,973 160,604
2018 142,704 147,749
2019 139,513 141,503
2020 143,492 67,602
2021 144,241 74,627
2022 147,076 54,452
2023 150,486 47,802

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Congo vs France

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 241 deaths per 100,000 live births in the Congo, compared to 7 deaths in France.

Congo
France
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Congo France
1985 546 20
1986 535 20
1987 519 19
1988 510 19
1989 506 19
1990 505 18
1991 514 18
1992 531 17
1993 541 16
1994 551 15
1995 551 15
1996 545 13
1997 650 11
1998 597 10
1999 554 10
2000 509 9
2001 489 9
2002 464 9
2003 436 9
2004 400 9
2005 385 9
2006 394 9
2007 370 9
2008 395 10
2009 414 10
2010 382 9
2011 378 9
2012 374 9
2013 320 9
2014 302 9
2015 284 9
2016 263 9
2017 262 8
2018 259 9
2019 245 8
2020 247 9
2021 301 9
2022 241 9
2023 241 7

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4.05% in the Congo and 0.43% in France. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Congo
France

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
Congo France
1960 19.4% 2.85%
1961 18.6% 2.7%
1962 18% 2.57%
1963 17.3% 2.45%
1964 16.7% 2.34%
1965 16.1% 2.24%
1966 15.6% 2.14%
1967 15.1% 2.06%
1968 14.6% 1.99%
1969 14.2% 1.91%
1970 13.7% 1.82%
1971 13.4% 1.74%
1972 13% 1.66%
1973 12.6% 1.6%
1974 12.4% 1.54%
1975 12.1% 1.49%
1976 11.8% 1.44%
1977 11.5% 1.39%
1978 11.2% 1.34%
1979 11% 1.28%
1980 10.7% 1.24%
1981 10.5% 1.19%
1982 10.2% 1.15%
1983 9.95% 1.11%
1984 9.68% 1.07%
1985 9.44% 1.04%
1986 9.25% 1.01%
1987 9.11% 0.98%
1988 9.04% 0.96%
1989 9.05% 0.93%
1990 9.15% 0.9%
1991 9.31% 0.86%
1992 9.54% 0.81%
1993 9.84% 0.75%
1994 10.2% 0.7%
1995 10.5% 0.65%
1996 10.9% 0.61%
1997 11.2% 0.58%
1998 11.4% 0.57%
1999 11.5% 0.55%
2000 11.4% 0.54%
2001 11.1% 0.52%
2002 10.6% 0.51%
2003 10% 0.49%
2004 9.35% 0.48%
2005 8.66% 0.46%
2006 8.02% 0.45%
2007 7.43% 0.44%
2008 6.95% 0.44%
2009 6.55% 0.43%
2010 6.25% 0.42%
2011 6.02% 0.42%
2012 5.82% 0.41%
2013 5.64% 0.41%
2014 5.45% 0.41%
2015 5.27% 0.42%
2016 5.09% 0.42%
2017 4.93% 0.42%
2018 4.77% 0.42%
2019 5.24% 0.42%
2020 4.47% 0.42%
2021 4.33% 0.43%
2022 4.19% 0.43%
2023 4.05% 0.43%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Congo vs France
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