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Fertility & birth rates in France and Ireland

Updated on by Georank team

France has an annual birth rate of 9.9 births per 1,000 people, compared to 10.3 for Ireland. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.66 in France and 1.5 in Ireland — 9.64% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -41.8% in France and by -60.3% in Ireland — in 1960, it was 2.85 and 3.78, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • France is ranked 148/196 by birth rate compared to 142/196 for Ireland.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 29.1 years in France, compared to 31.6 years in Ireland.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31.8 in France — it's 32.7 in Ireland.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.51 in France vs 4.07 in Ireland.
  • In France, 21% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 23.7% in Ireland.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.07% in France and +0.37% in Ireland.

Birth rate data compared

France Ireland
Fertility rate 1.66 1.5
Birth rate 9.9 10.3
Birth rate rank 148/196 142/196
Age at first childbirth 29.1 years 31.6 years
Average age at childbearing 31.8 years 32.7 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 3.14 4.02
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 58.3 42
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 17.2 22.3
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% 70.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 98.2% 99.7%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.007% 0.004%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.27% 0.25%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.34% 0.34%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.43% 0.38%
Population change due to births and deaths +47,802 +19,638
Natural population change rank 97/196 109/196
Natural population change rate +0.07% +0.37%
Population growth +0.34% +1.37%
Population growth rank 147/197 78/197
Life expectancy 83.6 years 82.7 years

Fertility rate in France vs Ireland 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 1.5 in Ireland in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

France
Factual

UN forecast
Ireland
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
France Ireland
1960 2.85 3.78
1961 2.87 3.78
1962 2.89 3.92
1963 2.89 4.01
1964 2.87 4.07
1965 2.84 4.04
1966 2.8 3.94
1967 2.75 3.84
1968 2.69 3.77
1969 2.62 3.83
1970 2.55 3.85
1971 2.47 3.93
1972 2.38 3.84
1973 2.28 3.71
1974 2.18 3.59
1975 2.09 3.37
1976 2.01 3.29
1977 1.94 3.24
1978 1.89 3.21
1979 1.87 3.21
1980 1.85 3.21
1981 1.85 3.05
1982 1.86 2.94
1983 1.86 2.74
1984 1.86 2.58
1985 1.86 2.48
1986 1.85 2.44
1987 1.83 2.32
1988 1.81 2.17
1989 1.79 2.08
1990 1.77 2.11
1991 1.75 2.08
1992 1.74 1.99
1993 1.73 1.9
1994 1.73 1.85
1995 1.74 1.84
1996 1.75 1.88
1997 1.77 1.93
1998 1.78 1.94
1999 1.81 1.9
2000 1.89 1.89
2001 1.9 1.94
2002 1.88 1.97
2003 1.89 1.96
2004 1.92 1.93
2005 1.94 1.86
2006 2 1.91
2007 1.98 2.01
2008 2.01 2.06
2009 2 2.06
2010 2.03 2.05
2011 2.01 2.03
2012 2.01 1.98
2013 1.99 1.93
2014 2 1.89
2015 1.96 1.85
2016 1.92 1.81
2017 1.89 1.77
2018 1.87 1.75
2019 1.86 1.71
2020 1.83 1.63
2021 1.84 1.78
2022 1.79 1.54
2023 1.66 1.5
2024 1.66 1.5
2025 1.66 1.5
2026 1.66 1.5
2027 1.66 1.5
2028 1.66 1.5
2029 1.66 1.5
2030 1.66 1.5
2031 1.66 1.5
2032 1.66 1.5
2033 1.66 1.5
2034 1.66 1.5
2035 1.66 1.5
2036 1.66 1.5
2037 1.67 1.5
2038 1.66 1.5
2039 1.66 1.51
2040 1.66 1.51
2041 1.67 1.5
2042 1.67 1.5
2043 1.67 1.5
2044 1.67 1.51
2045 1.67 1.51
2046 1.67 1.5
2047 1.67 1.5
2048 1.67 1.5
2049 1.67 1.5
2050 1.67 1.5

Children 0-14 years as share of population

France
Factual

UN forecast
Ireland
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
France Ireland
1960 26.5% 30.9%
1961 26.5% 31%
1962 26.2% 30.9%
1963 26% 30.9%
1964 25.8% 30.9%
1965 25.6% 31.1%
1966 25.4% 31.1%
1967 25.3% 31.1%
1968 25.1% 31.1%
1969 25% 31.1%
1970 24.8% 31.1%
1971 24.7% 31.2%
1972 24.6% 31.2%
1973 24.4% 31.2%
1974 24.2% 31.2%
1975 23.9% 31.1%
1976 23.6% 31%
1977 23.3% 30.9%
1978 23% 30.7%
1979 22.7% 30.5%
1980 22.4% 30.4%
1981 22.1% 30.3%
1982 21.9% 30.1%
1983 21.7% 29.9%
1984 21.5% 29.6%
1985 21.3% 29.3%
1986 21% 28.9%
1987 20.7% 28.5%
1988 20.5% 28.1%
1989 20.3% 27.6%
1990 20.1% 27.1%
1991 20.1% 26.6%
1992 20% 26%
1993 19.9% 25.5%
1994 19.7% 24.9%
1995 19.5% 24.2%
1996 19.3% 23.6%
1997 19.1% 23%
1998 19% 22.5%
1999 19% 22.1%
2000 18.9% 21.8%
2001 18.9% 21.4%
2002 18.8% 21.1%
2003 18.7% 21%
2004 18.6% 20.8%
2005 18.5% 20.6%
2006 18.5% 20.4%
2007 18.4% 20.3%
2008 18.5% 20.5%
2009 18.5% 20.7%
2010 18.5% 21.1%
2011 18.5% 21.4%
2012 18.5% 21.5%
2013 18.4% 21.5%
2014 18.3% 21.4%
2015 18.2% 21.3%
2016 18.1% 21.2%
2017 17.9% 20.9%
2018 17.8% 20.7%
2019 17.6% 20.4%
2020 17.4% 20.1%
2021 17.2% 19.8%
2022 17% 19.5%
2023 16.8% 19%
2024 16.5% 18.6%
2025 16.2% 18.1%
2026 16% 17.6%
2027 15.7% 17.2%
2028 15.5% 16.9%
2029 15.3% 16.6%
2030 15.1% 16.3%
2031 15% 16%
2032 14.8% 15.8%
2033 14.8% 15.6%
2034 14.7% 15.4%
2035 14.7% 15.3%
2036 14.7% 15.2%
2037 14.7% 15.1%
2038 14.7% 15.1%
2039 14.8% 15.2%
2040 14.9% 15.2%
2041 15% 15.3%
2042 15.1% 15.4%
2043 15.2% 15.4%
2044 15.3% 15.5%
2045 15.4% 15.6%
2046 15.5% 15.6%
2047 15.5% 15.7%
2048 15.5% 15.7%
2049 15.6% 15.7%
2050 15.6% 15.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 16.5% of the population in France and 18.6% in Ireland in 2024, compared to 20.1% and 27.1% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of France and Ireland compared.

Natural population change in France vs Ireland by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.2% in France and +0.58% in Ireland. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

France
Ireland

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
France Ireland
1960 346,115 28,286
1961 354,504 25,137
1962 358,082 28,077
1963 361,694 29,667
1964 360,631 31,532
1965 354,132 30,500
1966 352,181 26,866
1967 339,843 29,895
1968 337,346 27,697
1969 329,831 29,326
1970 322,444 30,756
1971 309,747 35,606
1972 296,589 34,316
1973 282,979 34,562
1974 268,733 34,199
1975 248,413 34,128
1976 227,776 33,676
1977 217,946 35,448
1978 213,462 36,288
1979 208,923 38,798
1980 210,042 40,612
1981 222,414 39,364
1982 234,389 38,344
1983 235,655 34,053
1984 248,086 31,791
1985 249,328 29,013
1986 250,606 27,963
1987 251,971 26,904
1988 247,672 22,912
1989 243,361 20,012
1990 238,870 21,787
1991 234,216 21,206
1992 229,502 20,283
1993 224,592 17,166
1994 201,704 17,234
1995 220,303 16,601
1996 221,092 18,915
1997 215,885 21,311
1998 222,705 22,277
1999 229,907 21,402
2000 268,042 23,592
2001 263,867 27,837
2002 253,430 31,062
2003 230,325 32,372
2004 282,185 33,376
2005 271,677 33,279
2006 305,387 36,752
2007 288,076 43,109
2008 283,250 46,691
2009 278,238 47,168
2010 286,116 47,426
2011 280,966 45,801
2012 256,065 42,775
2013 244,192 39,302
2014 265,248 37,728
2015 206,300 35,265
2016 193,500 33,339
2017 160,604 31,379
2018 147,749 29,878
2019 141,503 28,365
2020 67,602 23,687
2021 74,627 26,064
2022 54,452 19,287
2023 47,802 19,638

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: France vs Ireland

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 4 deaths in Ireland.

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

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.43% in France and 0.38% in Ireland. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

France
Ireland

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 Ireland
1960 2.85% 3.53%
1961 2.7% 3.38%
1962 2.57% 3.25%
1963 2.45% 3.13%
1964 2.34% 3.01%
1965 2.24% 2.87%
1966 2.14% 2.71%
1967 2.06% 2.55%
1968 1.99% 2.41%
1969 1.91% 2.3%
1970 1.82% 2.22%
1971 1.74% 2.17%
1972 1.66% 2.14%
1973 1.6% 2.11%
1974 1.54% 2.06%
1975 1.49% 2%
1976 1.44% 1.91%
1977 1.39% 1.81%
1978 1.34% 1.69%
1979 1.28% 1.56%
1980 1.24% 1.43%
1981 1.19% 1.32%
1982 1.15% 1.23%
1983 1.11% 1.17%
1984 1.07% 1.11%
1985 1.04% 1.07%
1986 1.01% 1.04%
1987 0.98% 1.02%
1988 0.96% 0.99%
1989 0.93% 0.96%
1990 0.9% 0.92%
1991 0.86% 0.87%
1992 0.81% 0.81%
1993 0.75% 0.77%
1994 0.7% 0.74%
1995 0.65% 0.73%
1996 0.61% 0.73%
1997 0.58% 0.73%
1998 0.57% 0.73%
1999 0.55% 0.73%
2000 0.54% 0.72%
2001 0.52% 0.69%
2002 0.51% 0.65%
2003 0.49% 0.6%
2004 0.48% 0.56%
2005 0.46% 0.52%
2006 0.45% 0.49%
2007 0.44% 0.46%
2008 0.44% 0.44%
2009 0.43% 0.43%
2010 0.42% 0.42%
2011 0.42% 0.41%
2012 0.41% 0.4%
2013 0.41% 0.39%
2014 0.41% 0.38%
2015 0.42% 0.37%
2016 0.42% 0.36%
2017 0.42% 0.35%
2018 0.42% 0.34%
2019 0.42% 0.34%
2020 0.42% 0.35%
2021 0.43% 0.36%
2022 0.43% 0.37%
2023 0.43% 0.38%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs France vs Ireland
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