Fertility & birth rates in Estonia and South Africa

Fertility rate in Estonia vs South Africa by year

Chart Table

Estonia

South Africa

1x

Year	Fertility rate
	Estonia	South Africa
2023	1.31	2.22
2022	1.41	2.23
2021	1.61	2.25
2020	1.58	2.26
2019	1.66	2.26
2018	1.67	2.27
2017	1.59	2.28
2016	1.6	2.26
2015	1.58	2.36
2014	1.54	2.42
2013	1.52	2.43
2012	1.56	2.45
2011	1.61	2.44
2010	1.72	2.44
2009	1.7	2.5
2008	1.72	2.68
2007	1.69	2.55
2006	1.58	2.55
2005	1.52	2.51
2004	1.47	2.44
2003	1.37	2.36
2002	1.36	2.32
2001	1.32	2.37
2000	1.36	2.41
1999	1.3	2.56
1998	1.28	2.63
1997	1.32	2.73
1996	1.37	2.99
1995	1.38	3.17
1994	1.42	3.26
1993	1.49	3.37
1992	1.71	3.48
1991	1.8	3.62
1990	2.05	3.72
1989	2.22	3.98
1988	2.27	4.18
1987	2.27	4.35
1986	2.18	4.41
1985	2.13	4.5
1984	2.17	4.57
1983	2.16	4.63
1982	2.07	4.7
1981	2.07	4.71
1980	2.02	4.78
1979	2	4.82
1978	2.02	4.85
1977	2.06	4.94
1976	2.07	5.07
1975	2.04	5.19
1974	2.07	5.3
1973	2.06	5.41
1972	2.13	5.49
1971	2.19	5.57
1970	2.17	5.63
1969	2.13	5.72
1968	2.03	5.78
1967	1.9	5.85
1966	1.87	5.91
1965	1.88	5.89
1964	1.94	5.96
1963	1.89	6.01
1962	1.95	6.05
1961	1.98	6.08
1960	1.98	6.11

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Estonia was 1.31 children per woman in 2023, compared to 2.22 in South Africa in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

Natural population change by year

Chart Table

Estonia

South Africa

1x

Year	Natural population change
	Estonia	South Africa
2023	-5,070	602,793
2022	-5,665	603,636
2021	-5,324	456,411
2020	-2,659	595,873
2019	-1,327	652,130
2018	-1,322	648,319
2017	-1,713	645,975
2016	-1,316	641,365
2015	-1,315	668,771
2014	-1,972	674,754
2013	-1,713	652,427
2012	-1,455	643,723
2011	-531	601,708
2010	0	566,834
2009	-400	554,115
2008	-668	595,332
2007	-1,608	503,567
2006	-2,559	487,584
2005	-2,981	464,464
2004	-3,679	442,540
2003	-5,072	415,018
2002	-5,380	430,926
2001	-5,830	484,801
2000	-5,309	526,963
1999	-6,117	594,643
1998	-7,208	627,027
1997	-6,018	667,969
1996	-5,662	710,868
1995	-7,327	743,488
1994	-8,044	698,609
1993	-5,976	789,220
1992	-1,993	794,415
1991	-312	827,296
1990	2,825	835,421
1989	5,803	884,629
1988	6,404	909,221
1987	6,829	922,330
1986	6,160	903,644
1985	4,281	893,889
1984	5,163	869,011
1983	5,884	837,013
1982	5,244	807,550
1981	4,612	767,833
1980	3,989	738,415
1979	3,818	716,541
1978	4,088	694,341
1977	4,931	680,929
1976	4,319	675,011
1975	4,717	667,862
1974	5,956	658,438
1973	5,623	651,596
1972	6,267	638,754
1971	7,160	624,761
1970	6,257	605,102
1969	5,515	590,794
1968	5,592	571,841
1967	5,012	553,741
1966	4,842	534,862
1965	5,437	506,632
1964	6,897	490,606
1963	6,043	473,821
1962	6,457	455,634
1961	7,228	437,851
1960	7,511	421,263

The chart above illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes in population resulting from births and deaths.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.37% in Estonia and +0.95% in South Africa.

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change has been -0.21% in Estonia and +1.05% in South Africa.

Birth rate in Estonia vs South Africa by year

Chart Table

Estonia

South Africa

Annual births per 1,000 people

1x

Year	Annual births per 1,000 people
	Estonia	South Africa
2023	8	18.8
2022	8.6	19.1
2021	10	19.4
2020	9.9	19.5
2019	10.6	19.7
2018	10.9	19.9
2017	10.5	20
2016	10.7	20.3
2015	10.6	21
2014	10.3	21.8
2013	10.3	21.9
2012	10.6	22.1
2011	11.1	22.1
2010	11.9	22.2
2009	11.8	22.8
2008	12	24.3
2007	11.8	23.1
2006	11	23.1
2005	10.6	22.7
2004	10.3	22.1
2003	9.5	21.4
2002	9.4	20.9
2001	9.1	21.3
2000	9.4	21.6
1999	9	22.7
1998	8.8	23.2
1997	9	23.9
1996	9.4	24.9
1995	9.4	25.6
1994	9.7	24.6
1993	10.2	26.6
1992	11.8	27
1991	12.4	28.1
1990	14.2	28.7
1989	15.5	30.6
1988	16	32
1987	16.2	33.2
1986	15.7	33.6
1985	15.5	34.2
1984	16	34.5
1983	16	34.6
1982	15.4	34.8
1981	15.4	34.6
1980	15	34.7
1979	14.9	34.9
1978	15	35.1
1977	15.2	35.6
1976	15.1	36.3
1975	14.9	37
1974	15.1	37.7
1973	15.1	38.4
1972	15.6	38.9
1971	16.1	39.3
1970	15.8	39.4
1969	15.4	39.7
1968	14.9	39.8
1967	14.2	39.9
1966	14.2	40
1965	14.6	39.5
1964	15.4	39.6
1963	15.3	39.7
1962	16.1	39.7
1961	16.5	39.7
1960	16.7	39.8

The latest reported birth rate per 1,000 people in 2023 was 8 in Estonia and 18.8 in South Africa, compared with 16.7 and 39.8, respectively, in 1960.

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Chart Table

Estonia

Factual

UN forecast

South Africa

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Young
	Estonia	South Africa
2100	11.7%	17.9%
2099	11.7%	18%
2098	11.8%	18%
2097	11.9%	18.1%
2096	11.9%	18.1%
2095	12%	18.2%
2094	12.1%	18.2%
2093	12.2%	18.3%
2092	12.3%	18.3%
2091	12.4%	18.4%
2090	12.4%	18.4%
2089	12.5%	18.5%
2088	12.5%	18.5%
2087	12.6%	18.6%
2086	12.6%	18.6%
2085	12.6%	18.7%
2084	12.5%	18.7%
2083	12.5%	18.8%
2082	12.4%	18.9%
2081	12.3%	18.9%
2080	12.3%	19%
2079	12.2%	19%
2078	12.1%	19.1%
2077	12%	19.2%
2076	11.9%	19.3%
2075	11.8%	19.3%
2074	11.7%	19.4%
2073	11.7%	19.5%
2072	11.6%	19.6%
2071	11.6%	19.6%
2070	11.6%	19.7%
2069	11.6%	19.8%
2068	11.7%	19.9%
2067	11.7%	20%
2066	11.8%	20.1%
2065	11.9%	20.2%
2064	12.1%	20.3%
2063	12.2%	20.4%
2062	12.4%	20.5%
2061	12.5%	20.6%
2060	12.7%	20.7%
2059	12.8%	20.8%
2058	12.9%	20.9%
2057	13%	21%
2056	13.1%	21.1%
2055	13.2%	21.1%
2054	13.2%	21.2%
2053	13.2%	21.3%
2052	13.2%	21.4%
2051	13.1%	21.5%
2050	13%	21.6%
2049	12.9%	21.7%
2048	12.8%	21.8%
2047	12.7%	21.9%
2046	12.5%	22%
2045	12.4%	22.1%
2044	12.3%	22.3%
2043	12.1%	22.4%
2042	12%	22.6%
2041	11.9%	22.8%
2040	11.9%	23%
2039	11.8%	23.3%
2038	11.8%	23.5%
2037	11.9%	23.7%
2036	12.1%	24.1%
2035	12.3%	24.4%
2034	12.6%	24.7%
2033	12.9%	24.9%
2032	13.2%	25%
2031	13.6%	25.1%
2030	13.9%	25.2%
2029	14.2%	25.3%
2028	14.4%	25.4%
2027	14.7%	25.5%
2026	15%	25.6%
2025	15.5%	25.8%
2024	15.6%	25.9%
2023	16%	26.1%
2022	16.2%	26.3%
2021	16.4%	26.6%
2020	16.4%	27%
2019	16.4%	27.4%
2018	16.4%	27.9%
2017	16.3%	28.3%
2016	16.2%	28.3%
2015	16%	28.3%
2014	15.9%	28.5%
2013	15.7%	28.7%
2012	15.6%	28.9%
2011	15.4%	29.1%
2010	15.2%	29.4%
2009	15%	29.7%
2008	14.9%	29.9%
2007	14.9%	30.2%
2006	15%	30.6%
2005	15.2%	31.1%
2004	15.6%	31.6%
2003	16.1%	32.3%
2002	16.6%	33.2%
2001	17.2%	34%
2000	17.6%	34.9%
1999	18.4%	35.7%
1998	19.2%	36.5%
1997	19.8%	37.2%
1996	20.3%	37.5%
1995	20.7%	37.5%
1994	21.1%	37.2%
1993	21.4%	37.3%
1992	21.8%	37.6%
1991	22.1%	37.5%
1990	22.3%	37.7%
1989	22.3%	38.1%
1988	22.2%	38.4%
1987	22.2%	38.7%
1986	22.1%	38.9%
1985	22.1%	39.2%
1984	22.1%	39.5%
1983	22%	39.8%
1982	21.9%	40.1%
1981	21.8%	40.5%
1980	21.7%	40.9%
1979	21.6%	41.3%
1978	21.5%	41.5%
1977	21.5%	41.7%
1976	21.6%	41.8%
1975	21.6%	41.9%
1974	21.8%	42%
1973	21.9%	42.1%
1972	22%	42.2%
1971	22%	42.2%
1970	22.1%	42.3%
1969	22.1%	42.2%
1968	22.2%	42.2%
1967	22.3%	42.2%
1966	22.6%	42.1%
1965	22.8%	42.1%
1964	23%	42.1%
1963	23.2%	42.1%
1962	23.3%	42.1%
1961	23.3%	42.1%
1960	23.1%	42.1%

Children aged 0-14 make up 15.6% of the population in Estonia and 25.9% in South Africa in 2024, compared to 22.3% and 37.7% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Estonia and South Africa compared.

Maternal mortality chart: Estonia vs South Africa

Chart Table

Estonia

South Africa

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	Estonia	South Africa
2023	5	118
2022	7	129
2021	8	191
2020	6	118
2019	6	119
2018	5	128
2017	5	134
2016	7	141
2015	6	150
2014	7	162
2013	6	180
2012	8	194
2011	9	202
2010	8	226
2009	10	241
2008	11	272
2007	13	272
2006	13	283
2005	15	279
2004	15	259
2003	18	245
2002	22	225
2001	25	192
2000	27	175
1999	28	151
1998	32	152
1997	31	152
1996	36	150
1995	45	125
1994	60	133
1993	46	145
1992	40	152
1991	42	162
1990	44	170
1989	48	177
1988	43	184
1987	42	192
1986	46	200
1985	56	208

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 5 deaths per 100,000 live births in Estonia, compared to 118 deaths in South Africa.

Under-five mortality rates

Chart Table

Estonia

South Africa

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	Estonia	South Africa
2023	0.21%	3.47%
2022	0.22%	3.44%
2021	0.23%	3.41%
2020	0.24%	3.41%
2019	0.25%	3.45%
2018	0.27%	3.49%
2017	0.28%	3.58%
2016	0.3%	3.68%
2015	0.32%	3.82%
2014	0.34%	3.96%
2013	0.36%	4.1%
2012	0.39%	4.25%
2011	0.42%	4.5%
2010	0.46%	5%
2009	0.5%	5.7%
2008	0.54%	6.42%
2007	0.59%	7.19%
2006	0.65%	7.75%
2005	0.71%	8.03%
2004	0.78%	8.1%
2003	0.85%	7.93%
2002	0.93%	7.69%
2001	1.01%	7.43%
2000	1.1%	7.11%
1999	1.2%	6.85%
1998	1.29%	6.56%
1997	1.39%	6.29%
1996	1.48%	6.11%
1995	1.57%	5.95%
1994	1.64%	5.82%
1993	1.69%	5.7%
1992	1.73%	5.66%
1991	1.75%	5.7%
1990	1.77%	5.82%
1989	1.79%	6.01%
1988	1.81%	6.26%
1987	1.83%	6.56%
1986	1.86%	6.89%
1985	1.91%	7.24%
1984	1.96%	7.6%
1983	2.02%	7.98%
1982	2.09%	8.39%
1981	2.16%	8.84%
1980	2.24%	9.35%
1979	-	9.88%
1978	-	10.5%
1977	-	11.1%
1976	-	11.8%
1975	-	12.5%
1974	-	13.2%

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.21% in Estonia and 3.47% in South Africa. Above is a chart with historical data on under-five mortality rates.