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Fertility & birth rates in France and Sweden

Updated on by Georank team

France has an annual birth rate of 9.9 births per 1,000 people, compared to 9.5 for Sweden. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.66 in France and 1.45 in Sweden — 12.7% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -41.8% in France and by -33.2% in Sweden — in 1960, it was 2.85 and 2.17, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • France is ranked 148/196 by birth rate compared to 153/196 for Sweden.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 29.1 years in France, compared to 30 years in Sweden.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31.8 in France — it's 31.7 in Sweden.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.51 in France vs 1.79 in Sweden.
  • In France, 21% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 21.3% in Sweden.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.07% in France and +0.05% in Sweden.

Birth rate data compared

France Sweden
Fertility rate 1.66 1.45
Birth rate 9.9 9.5
Birth rate rank 148/196 153/196
Age at first childbirth 29.1 years 30 years
Average age at childbearing 31.8 years 31.7 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 3.14 1.63
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 58.3 54
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 17.2 18.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 21% 21.3%
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% 100%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.007% 0.004%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.27% 0.14%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.34% 0.2%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.43% 0.25%
Population change due to births and deaths +47,802 +5,269
Natural population change rank 97/196 125/196
Natural population change rate +0.07% +0.05%
Population growth +0.34% +0.31%
Population growth rank 147/197 148/197
Life expectancy 83.6 years 83.6 years

Fertility rate in France vs Sweden 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 1.45 in Sweden in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

France
Factual

UN forecast
Sweden
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
France Sweden
1960 2.85 2.17
1961 2.87 2.21
1962 2.89 2.25
1963 2.89 2.33
1964 2.87 2.47
1965 2.84 2.39
1966 2.8 2.37
1967 2.75 2.28
1968 2.69 2.07
1969 2.62 1.93
1970 2.55 1.92
1971 2.47 1.96
1972 2.38 1.91
1973 2.28 1.87
1974 2.18 1.87
1975 2.09 1.77
1976 2.01 1.68
1977 1.94 1.64
1978 1.89 1.6
1979 1.87 1.66
1980 1.85 1.68
1981 1.85 1.63
1982 1.86 1.62
1983 1.86 1.61
1984 1.86 1.66
1985 1.86 1.74
1986 1.85 1.8
1987 1.83 1.84
1988 1.81 1.96
1989 1.79 2.01
1990 1.77 2.13
1991 1.75 2.11
1992 1.74 2.09
1993 1.73 1.99
1994 1.73 1.88
1995 1.74 1.73
1996 1.75 1.6
1997 1.77 1.52
1998 1.78 1.5
1999 1.81 1.5
2000 1.89 1.54
2001 1.9 1.57
2002 1.88 1.65
2003 1.89 1.71
2004 1.92 1.75
2005 1.94 1.77
2006 2 1.85
2007 1.98 1.88
2008 2.01 1.91
2009 2 1.94
2010 2.03 1.98
2011 2.01 1.9
2012 2.01 1.91
2013 1.99 1.89
2014 2 1.88
2015 1.96 1.85
2016 1.92 1.85
2017 1.89 1.78
2018 1.87 1.76
2019 1.86 1.71
2020 1.83 1.67
2021 1.84 1.67
2022 1.79 1.53
2023 1.66 1.45
2024 1.66 1.45
2025 1.66 1.46
2026 1.66 1.46
2027 1.66 1.47
2028 1.66 1.47
2029 1.66 1.48
2030 1.66 1.48
2031 1.66 1.49
2032 1.66 1.49
2033 1.66 1.49
2034 1.66 1.5
2035 1.66 1.5
2036 1.66 1.5
2037 1.67 1.51
2038 1.66 1.51
2039 1.66 1.51
2040 1.66 1.52
2041 1.67 1.52
2042 1.67 1.53
2043 1.67 1.53
2044 1.67 1.53
2045 1.67 1.53
2046 1.67 1.53
2047 1.67 1.54
2048 1.67 1.54
2049 1.67 1.54
2050 1.67 1.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

France
Factual

UN forecast
Sweden
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
France Sweden
1960 26.5% 22.4%
1961 26.5% 22%
1962 26.2% 21.5%
1963 26% 21.2%
1964 25.8% 21%
1965 25.6% 20.9%
1966 25.4% 20.9%
1967 25.3% 21%
1968 25.1% 20.9%
1969 25% 20.9%
1970 24.8% 20.8%
1971 24.7% 20.8%
1972 24.6% 20.8%
1973 24.4% 20.7%
1974 24.2% 20.7%
1975 23.9% 20.7%
1976 23.6% 20.6%
1977 23.3% 20.5%
1978 23% 20.3%
1979 22.7% 19.9%
1980 22.4% 19.6%
1981 22.1% 19.2%
1982 21.9% 18.9%
1983 21.7% 18.6%
1984 21.5% 18.3%
1985 21.3% 18.2%
1986 21% 18%
1987 20.7% 17.9%
1988 20.5% 17.8%
1989 20.3% 17.8%
1990 20.1% 17.9%
1991 20.1% 18.1%
1992 20% 18.4%
1993 19.9% 18.6%
1994 19.7% 18.8%
1995 19.5% 18.9%
1996 19.3% 18.8%
1997 19.1% 18.7%
1998 19% 18.7%
1999 19% 18.6%
2000 18.9% 18.4%
2001 18.9% 18.3%
2002 18.8% 18.1%
2003 18.7% 17.9%
2004 18.6% 17.7%
2005 18.5% 17.4%
2006 18.5% 17.1%
2007 18.4% 16.9%
2008 18.5% 16.7%
2009 18.5% 16.6%
2010 18.5% 16.6%
2011 18.5% 16.7%
2012 18.5% 16.8%
2013 18.4% 17%
2014 18.3% 17.2%
2015 18.2% 17.3%
2016 18.1% 17.5%
2017 17.9% 17.7%
2018 17.8% 17.8%
2019 17.6% 17.8%
2020 17.4% 17.7%
2021 17.2% 17.7%
2022 17% 17.5%
2023 16.8% 17.2%
2024 16.5% 17%
2025 16.2% 16.7%
2026 16% 16.4%
2027 15.7% 16.2%
2028 15.5% 15.9%
2029 15.3% 15.6%
2030 15.1% 15.3%
2031 15% 15.1%
2032 14.8% 14.8%
2033 14.8% 14.5%
2034 14.7% 14.3%
2035 14.7% 14.1%
2036 14.7% 13.9%
2037 14.7% 13.8%
2038 14.7% 13.8%
2039 14.8% 13.8%
2040 14.9% 13.8%
2041 15% 13.8%
2042 15.1% 13.9%
2043 15.2% 13.9%
2044 15.3% 14%
2045 15.4% 14.1%
2046 15.5% 14.1%
2047 15.5% 14.2%
2048 15.5% 14.3%
2049 15.6% 14.4%
2050 15.6% 14.4%

Children aged 0-14 make up 16.5% of the population in France and 17% in Sweden in 2024, compared to 20.1% and 17.9% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of France and Sweden compared.

Natural population change in France vs Sweden by year

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

France
Sweden

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
France Sweden
1960 346,115 27,693
1961 354,504 30,832
1962 358,082 30,246
1963 361,694 35,741
1964 360,631 45,968
1965 354,132 44,857
1966 352,181 45,286
1967 339,843 41,700
1968 337,346 30,858
1969 329,831 23,904
1970 322,444 30,563
1971 309,747 31,583
1972 296,589 28,428
1973 282,979 24,409
1974 268,733 23,664
1975 248,413 14,746
1976 227,776 8,222
1977 217,946 7,426
1978 213,462 4,138
1979 208,923 4,976
1980 210,042 5,818
1981 222,414 1,664
1982 234,389 1,665
1983 235,655 833
1984 248,086 3,335
1985 249,328 4,175
1986 250,606 9,206
1987 251,971 11,757
1988 247,672 15,186
1989 243,361 24,629
1990 238,870 29,100
1991 234,216 29,299
1992 229,502 28,605
1993 224,592 20,924
1994 201,704 20,196
1995 220,303 9,710
1996 221,092 1,768
1997 215,885 -3,539
1998 222,705 -3,541
1999 229,907 -6,201
2000 268,042 -2,662
2001 263,867 -1,779
2002 253,430 893
2003 230,325 6,271
2004 282,185 9,893
2005 271,677 9,030
2006 305,387 15,436
2007 288,076 15,552
2008 283,250 18,439
2009 278,238 21,387
2010 286,116 25,320
2011 280,966 21,733
2012 256,065 20,943
2013 244,192 23,041
2014 265,248 26,179
2015 206,300 23,518
2016 193,500 25,800
2017 160,604 24,138
2018 147,749 23,403
2019 141,503 25,697
2020 67,602 14,495
2021 74,627 22,914
2022 54,452 10,487
2023 47,802 5,269

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: France vs Sweden

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 Sweden.

France
Sweden
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
France Sweden
1985 20 8
1986 20 8
1987 19 8
1988 19 9
1989 19 9
1990 18 8
1991 18 8
1992 17 8
1993 16 8
1994 15 7
1995 15 7
1996 13 6
1997 11 6
1998 10 6
1999 10 6
2000 9 5
2001 9 5
2002 9 5
2003 9 5
2004 9 5
2005 9 5
2006 9 5
2007 9 5
2008 10 5
2009 10 5
2010 9 5
2011 9 5
2012 9 5
2013 9 5
2014 9 5
2015 9 5
2016 9 5
2017 8 5
2018 9 5
2019 8 4
2020 9 5
2021 9 5
2022 9 5
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 0.25% in Sweden. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

France
Sweden

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 Sweden
1960 2.85% 1.96%
1961 2.7% 1.92%
1962 2.57% 1.86%
1963 2.45% 1.79%
1964 2.34% 1.71%
1965 2.24% 1.63%
1966 2.14% 1.56%
1967 2.06% 1.49%
1968 1.99% 1.44%
1969 1.91% 1.39%
1970 1.82% 1.34%
1971 1.74% 1.29%
1972 1.66% 1.23%
1973 1.6% 1.16%
1974 1.54% 1.09%
1975 1.49% 1.03%
1976 1.44% 0.98%
1977 1.39% 0.94%
1978 1.34% 0.9%
1979 1.28% 0.87%
1980 1.24% 0.84%
1981 1.19% 0.82%
1982 1.15% 0.8%
1983 1.11% 0.78%
1984 1.07% 0.77%
1985 1.04% 0.76%
1986 1.01% 0.75%
1987 0.98% 0.74%
1988 0.96% 0.73%
1989 0.93% 0.72%
1990 0.9% 0.7%
1991 0.86% 0.66%
1992 0.81% 0.62%
1993 0.75% 0.57%
1994 0.7% 0.52%
1995 0.65% 0.48%
1996 0.61% 0.46%
1997 0.58% 0.44%
1998 0.57% 0.42%
1999 0.55% 0.41%
2000 0.54% 0.41%
2001 0.52% 0.4%
2002 0.51% 0.4%
2003 0.49% 0.39%
2004 0.48% 0.37%
2005 0.46% 0.36%
2006 0.45% 0.35%
2007 0.44% 0.33%
2008 0.44% 0.32%
2009 0.43% 0.31%
2010 0.42% 0.31%
2011 0.42% 0.3%
2012 0.41% 0.3%
2013 0.41% 0.29%
2014 0.41% 0.29%
2015 0.42% 0.29%
2016 0.42% 0.28%
2017 0.42% 0.28%
2018 0.42% 0.27%
2019 0.42% 0.26%
2020 0.42% 0.26%
2021 0.43% 0.25%
2022 0.43% 0.25%
2023 0.43% 0.25%

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Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs France vs Sweden
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