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Fertility & birth rates in France and Iceland

Updated on by Georank team

France has an annual birth rate of 9.9 births per 1,000 people, compared to 11 for Iceland. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.66 in France and 1.59 in Iceland — 4.22% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -41.8% in France and by -62.9% in Iceland — in 1960, it was 2.85 and 4.29, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • France is ranked 148/196 by birth rate compared to 132/196 for Iceland.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 29.1 years in France, compared to 28.8 years in Iceland.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31.8 in France — it's 31 in Iceland.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.51 in France vs 3.37 in Iceland.
  • In France, 21% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 23.7% in Iceland.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.07% in France and +0.44% in Iceland.

Birth rate data compared

France Iceland
Fertility rate 1.66 1.59
Birth rate 9.9 11
Birth rate rank 148/196 132/196
Age at first childbirth 29.1 years 28.8 years
Average age at childbearing 31.8 years 31 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 3.14 2.82
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 58.3 68.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 17.2 20.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 21% 23.7%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 72.7% n/a
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 98.2% 97.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.007% 0.003%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.27% 0.13%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.34% 0.19%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.43% 0.26%
Population change due to births and deaths +47,802 +1,730
Natural population change rank 97/196 138/196
Natural population change rate +0.07% +0.44%
Population growth +0.34% +2.86%
Population growth rank 147/197 21/197
Life expectancy 83.6 years 83.2 years

Fertility rate in France vs Iceland chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in France was 1.66 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.59 in Iceland in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

France
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
France Iceland
1960 2.85 4.29
1961 2.87 3.88
1962 2.89 3.98
1963 2.89 3.99
1964 2.87 3.88
1965 2.84 3.73
1966 2.8 3.59
1967 2.75 3.28
1968 2.69 3.06
1969 2.62 2.99
1970 2.55 2.81
1971 2.47 2.92
1972 2.38 3.09
1973 2.28 2.94
1974 2.18 2.66
1975 2.09 2.65
1976 2.01 2.52
1977 1.94 2.31
1978 1.89 2.35
1979 1.87 2.49
1980 1.85 2.48
1981 1.85 2.33
1982 1.86 2.27
1983 1.86 2.24
1984 1.86 2.08
1985 1.86 1.93
1986 1.85 1.92
1987 1.83 2.06
1988 1.81 2.26
1989 1.79 2.19
1990 1.77 2.3
1991 1.75 2.18
1992 1.74 2.21
1993 1.73 2.22
1994 1.73 2.14
1995 1.74 2.08
1996 1.75 2.12
1997 1.77 2.04
1998 1.78 2.05
1999 1.81 1.99
2000 1.89 2.08
2001 1.9 1.95
2002 1.88 1.93
2003 1.89 1.99
2004 1.92 2.04
2005 1.94 2.05
2006 2 2.08
2007 1.98 2.09
2008 2.01 2.15
2009 2 2.23
2010 2.03 2.2
2011 2.01 2.02
2012 2.01 2.04
2013 1.99 1.93
2014 2 1.93
2015 1.96 1.8
2016 1.92 1.74
2017 1.89 1.71
2018 1.87 1.71
2019 1.86 1.74
2020 1.83 1.72
2021 1.84 1.82
2022 1.79 1.59
2023 1.66 1.59
2024 1.66 1.57
2025 1.66 1.55
2026 1.66 1.54
2027 1.66 1.53
2028 1.66 1.53
2029 1.66 1.53
2030 1.66 1.52
2031 1.66 1.52
2032 1.66 1.52
2033 1.66 1.53
2034 1.66 1.53
2035 1.66 1.53
2036 1.66 1.53
2037 1.67 1.53
2038 1.66 1.53
2039 1.66 1.54
2040 1.66 1.54
2041 1.67 1.54
2042 1.67 1.54
2043 1.67 1.54
2044 1.67 1.54
2045 1.67 1.54
2046 1.67 1.55
2047 1.67 1.55
2048 1.67 1.55
2049 1.67 1.55
2050 1.67 1.56

Children 0-14 years as share of population

France
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
France Iceland
1960 26.5% 34.9%
1961 26.5% 35%
1962 26.2% 34.9%
1963 26% 34.9%
1964 25.8% 34.7%
1965 25.6% 34.5%
1966 25.4% 34.3%
1967 25.3% 34%
1968 25.1% 33.6%
1969 25% 33.2%
1970 24.8% 32.6%
1971 24.7% 32.1%
1972 24.6% 31.6%
1973 24.4% 31.2%
1974 24.2% 30.7%
1975 23.9% 30.1%
1976 23.6% 29.5%
1977 23.3% 29%
1978 23% 28.4%
1979 22.7% 27.9%
1980 22.4% 27.5%
1981 22.1% 27.2%
1982 21.9% 26.9%
1983 21.7% 26.7%
1984 21.5% 26.5%
1985 21.3% 26.2%
1986 21% 25.9%
1987 20.7% 25.6%
1988 20.5% 25.2%
1989 20.3% 25%
1990 20.1% 25%
1991 20.1% 24.8%
1992 20% 24.8%
1993 19.9% 24.8%
1994 19.7% 24.7%
1995 19.5% 24.4%
1996 19.3% 24.1%
1997 19.1% 23.9%
1998 19% 23.6%
1999 19% 23.4%
2000 18.9% 23.3%
2001 18.9% 23.2%
2002 18.8% 23%
2003 18.7% 22.8%
2004 18.6% 22.5%
2005 18.5% 22.1%
2006 18.5% 21.5%
2007 18.4% 21.1%
2008 18.5% 20.9%
2009 18.5% 20.9%
2010 18.5% 20.9%
2011 18.5% 20.8%
2012 18.5% 20.7%
2013 18.4% 20.6%
2014 18.3% 20.4%
2015 18.2% 20.2%
2016 18.1% 19.9%
2017 17.9% 19.6%
2018 17.8% 19.2%
2019 17.6% 18.9%
2020 17.4% 18.7%
2021 17.2% 18.6%
2022 17% 18.4%
2023 16.8% 18.1%
2024 16.5% 17.8%
2025 16.2% 17.5%
2026 16% 17.3%
2027 15.7% 17.1%
2028 15.5% 17%
2029 15.3% 16.8%
2030 15.1% 16.7%
2031 15% 16.6%
2032 14.8% 16.5%
2033 14.8% 16.3%
2034 14.7% 16.1%
2035 14.7% 15.9%
2036 14.7% 15.6%
2037 14.7% 15.4%
2038 14.7% 15.2%
2039 14.8% 15%
2040 14.9% 14.8%
2041 15% 14.7%
2042 15.1% 14.5%
2043 15.2% 14.4%
2044 15.3% 14.2%
2045 15.4% 14.1%
2046 15.5% 14%
2047 15.5% 13.9%
2048 15.5% 13.8%
2049 15.6% 13.7%
2050 15.6% 13.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 16.5% of the population in France and 17.8% in Iceland in 2024, compared to 20.1% and 25% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of France and Iceland compared.

Natural population change in France vs Iceland by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.2% in France and +0.57% in Iceland. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

France
Iceland

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
France Iceland
1960 346,115 3,758
1961 354,504 3,312
1962 358,082 3,465
1963 361,694 3,490
1964 360,631 3,459
1965 354,132 3,442
1966 352,181 3,305
1967 339,843 3,021
1968 337,346 2,841
1969 329,831 2,766
1970 322,444 2,576
1971 309,747 2,782
1972 296,589 3,241
1973 282,979 3,121
1974 268,733 2,776
1975 248,413 2,965
1976 227,776 2,951
1977 217,946 2,551
1978 213,462 2,727
1979 208,923 2,980
1980 210,042 2,966
1981 222,414 2,677
1982 234,389 2,736
1983 235,655 2,702
1984 248,086 2,539
1985 249,328 2,221
1986 250,606 2,384
1987 251,971 2,360
1988 247,672 2,847
1989 243,361 2,832
1990 238,870 3,058
1991 234,216 2,733
1992 229,502 2,898
1993 224,592 2,875
1994 201,704 2,713
1995 220,303 2,354
1996 221,092 2,447
1997 215,885 2,305
1998 222,705 2,357
1999 229,907 2,192
2000 268,042 2,475
2001 263,867 2,365
2002 253,430 2,243
2003 230,325 2,317
2004 282,185 2,425
2005 271,677 2,433
2006 305,387 2,491
2007 288,076 2,617
2008 283,250 2,825
2009 278,238 3,026
2010 286,116 2,862
2011 280,966 2,521
2012 256,065 2,566
2013 244,192 2,169
2014 265,248 2,324
2015 206,300 1,952
2016 193,500 1,711
2017 160,604 1,854
2018 147,749 1,975
2019 141,503 2,163
2020 67,602 2,199
2021 74,627 2,534
2022 54,452 1,719
2023 47,802 1,730

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: France vs Iceland

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 7 deaths per 100,000 live births in France, compared to 3 deaths in Iceland.

France
Iceland
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
France Iceland
1985 20 11
1986 20 15
1987 19 13
1988 19 11
1989 19 14
1990 18 13
1991 18 11
1992 17 12
1993 16 10
1994 15 9
1995 15 13
1996 13 7
1997 11 8
1998 10 8
1999 10 7
2000 9 7
2001 9 6
2002 9 7
2003 9 6
2004 9 6
2005 9 5
2006 9 5
2007 9 5
2008 10 4
2009 10 5
2010 9 5
2011 9 4
2012 9 4
2013 9 4
2014 9 4
2015 9 4
2016 9 3
2017 8 3
2018 9 4
2019 8 4
2020 9 12
2021 9 5
2022 9 5
2023 7 3

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.43% in France and 0.26% in Iceland. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

France
Iceland

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
France Iceland
1960 2.85% 2.14%
1961 2.7% 2.11%
1962 2.57% 2.07%
1963 2.45% 2.02%
1964 2.34% 1.97%
1965 2.24% 1.92%
1966 2.14% 1.85%
1967 2.06% 1.79%
1968 1.99% 1.72%
1969 1.91% 1.66%
1970 1.82% 1.6%
1971 1.74% 1.54%
1972 1.66% 1.48%
1973 1.6% 1.41%
1974 1.54% 1.35%
1975 1.49% 1.29%
1976 1.44% 1.22%
1977 1.39% 1.15%
1978 1.34% 1.09%
1979 1.28% 1.03%
1980 1.24% 0.97%
1981 1.19% 0.92%
1982 1.15% 0.87%
1983 1.11% 0.83%
1984 1.07% 0.79%
1985 1.04% 0.75%
1986 1.01% 0.73%
1987 0.98% 0.7%
1988 0.96% 0.67%
1989 0.93% 0.65%
1990 0.9% 0.63%
1991 0.86% 0.61%
1992 0.81% 0.58%
1993 0.75% 0.56%
1994 0.7% 0.54%
1995 0.65% 0.52%
1996 0.61% 0.49%
1997 0.58% 0.47%
1998 0.57% 0.45%
1999 0.55% 0.42%
2000 0.54% 0.4%
2001 0.52% 0.38%
2002 0.51% 0.36%
2003 0.49% 0.34%
2004 0.48% 0.33%
2005 0.46% 0.31%
2006 0.45% 0.3%
2007 0.44% 0.29%
2008 0.44% 0.28%
2009 0.43% 0.27%
2010 0.42% 0.27%
2011 0.42% 0.27%
2012 0.41% 0.26%
2013 0.41% 0.26%
2014 0.41% 0.26%
2015 0.42% 0.26%
2016 0.42% 0.26%
2017 0.42% 0.26%
2018 0.42% 0.27%
2019 0.42% 0.27%
2020 0.42% 0.27%
2021 0.43% 0.27%
2022 0.43% 0.26%
2023 0.43% 0.26%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs France vs Iceland
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