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Fertility & birth rates in Gambia and Iceland

Updated on by Georank team

The Gambia has an annual birth rate of 30.4 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 4.01 in the Gambia and 1.59 in Iceland — 60.3% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -35.9% in the Gambia and by -62.9% in Iceland — in 1960, it was 6.25 and 4.29, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • The Gambia is ranked 30/196 by birth rate compared to 132/196 for Iceland.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 20.7 years in the Gambia, compared to 28.8 years in Iceland.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.8 in the Gambia — it's 31 in Iceland.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 58.1 in the Gambia vs 3.37 in Iceland.
  • In the Gambia, 24.5% 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 +2.41% in the Gambia and +0.44% in Iceland.

Birth rate data compared

Gambia Iceland
Fertility rate 4.01 1.59
Birth rate 30.4 11
Birth rate rank 30/196 132/196
Age at first childbirth 20.7 years 28.8 years
Average age at childbearing 29.8 years 31 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 54.1 2.82
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 173 68.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 68.1 20.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24.5% 23.7%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 17.1% n/a
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 83.8% 97.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.35% 0.003%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.37% 0.13%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.38% 0.19%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4.41% 0.26%
Population change due to births and deaths +65,118 +1,730
Natural population change rank 88/196 138/196
Natural population change rate +2.41% +0.44%
Population growth +2.3% +2.86%
Population growth rank 39/197 21/197
Life expectancy 66.3 years 83.2 years

Fertility rate in Gambia vs Iceland chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in the Gambia was 4.01 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 the Gambia vs Iceland population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Gambia Iceland
1960 6.25 4.29
1961 6.23 3.88
1962 6.21 3.98
1963 6.2 3.99
1964 6.2 3.88
1965 6.19 3.73
1966 6.18 3.59
1967 6.21 3.28
1968 6.22 3.06
1969 6.25 2.99
1970 6.26 2.81
1971 6.33 2.92
1972 6.37 3.09
1973 6.41 2.94
1974 6.42 2.66
1975 6.43 2.65
1976 6.43 2.52
1977 6.43 2.31
1978 6.42 2.35
1979 6.41 2.49
1980 6.41 2.48
1981 6.4 2.33
1982 6.4 2.27
1983 6.39 2.24
1984 6.39 2.08
1985 6.36 1.93
1986 6.34 1.92
1987 6.3 2.06
1988 6.26 2.26
1989 6.25 2.19
1990 6.25 2.3
1991 6.19 2.18
1992 6.11 2.21
1993 6.03 2.22
1994 6.04 2.14
1995 5.99 2.08
1996 5.93 2.12
1997 5.85 2.04
1998 5.82 2.05
1999 5.77 1.99
2000 5.72 2.08
2001 5.67 1.95
2002 5.66 1.93
2003 5.66 1.99
2004 5.68 2.04
2005 5.71 2.05
2006 5.74 2.08
2007 5.69 2.09
2008 5.63 2.15
2009 5.57 2.23
2010 5.56 2.2
2011 5.54 2.02
2012 5.52 2.04
2013 5.39 1.93
2014 5.2 1.93
2015 5 1.8
2016 4.81 1.74
2017 4.61 1.71
2018 4.42 1.71
2019 4.33 1.74
2020 4.25 1.72
2021 4.17 1.82
2022 4.08 1.59
2023 4.01 1.59
2024 3.91 1.57
2025 3.8 1.55
2026 3.7 1.54
2027 3.6 1.53
2028 3.51 1.53
2029 3.41 1.53
2030 3.33 1.52
2031 3.24 1.52
2032 3.17 1.52
2033 3.1 1.53
2034 3.03 1.53
2035 2.97 1.53
2036 2.91 1.53
2037 2.86 1.53
2038 2.81 1.53
2039 2.76 1.54
2040 2.71 1.54
2041 2.67 1.54
2042 2.63 1.54
2043 2.59 1.54
2044 2.56 1.54
2045 2.52 1.54
2046 2.49 1.55
2047 2.46 1.55
2048 2.43 1.55
2049 2.4 1.55
2050 2.38 1.56

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Gambia Iceland
1960 41% 34.9%
1961 40.8% 35%
1962 40.7% 34.9%
1963 40.8% 34.9%
1964 41% 34.7%
1965 41.3% 34.5%
1966 41.5% 34.3%
1967 41.6% 34%
1968 41.8% 33.6%
1969 41.9% 33.2%
1970 42% 32.6%
1971 42.1% 32.1%
1972 42.2% 31.6%
1973 42.3% 31.2%
1974 42.4% 30.7%
1975 42.6% 30.1%
1976 42.8% 29.5%
1977 43% 29%
1978 43.3% 28.4%
1979 43.5% 27.9%
1980 43.7% 27.5%
1981 44% 27.2%
1982 44.3% 26.9%
1983 44.6% 26.7%
1984 44.9% 26.5%
1985 45% 26.2%
1986 45.2% 25.9%
1987 45.4% 25.6%
1988 45.5% 25.2%
1989 45.6% 25%
1990 45.7% 25%
1991 45.8% 24.8%
1992 45.9% 24.8%
1993 46% 24.8%
1994 46.3% 24.7%
1995 46.5% 24.4%
1996 46.7% 24.1%
1997 46.9% 23.9%
1998 46.9% 23.6%
1999 46.9% 23.4%
2000 46.8% 23.3%
2001 46.7% 23.2%
2002 46.6% 23%
2003 46.4% 22.8%
2004 46.1% 22.5%
2005 45.9% 22.1%
2006 45.6% 21.5%
2007 45.3% 21.1%
2008 45.1% 20.9%
2009 44.8% 20.9%
2010 44.5% 20.9%
2011 44.3% 20.8%
2012 44.1% 20.7%
2013 43.9% 20.6%
2014 43.7% 20.4%
2015 43.6% 20.2%
2016 43.3% 19.9%
2017 43.1% 19.6%
2018 42.8% 19.2%
2019 42.4% 18.9%
2020 42% 18.7%
2021 41.6% 18.6%
2022 41.2% 18.4%
2023 40.7% 18.1%
2024 40.2% 17.8%
2025 39.7% 17.5%
2026 39.2% 17.3%
2027 38.5% 17.1%
2028 37.9% 17%
2029 37.3% 16.8%
2030 36.7% 16.7%
2031 36.2% 16.6%
2032 35.7% 16.5%
2033 35.2% 16.3%
2034 34.8% 16.1%
2035 34.3% 15.9%
2036 33.9% 15.6%
2037 33.4% 15.4%
2038 33% 15.2%
2039 32.5% 15%
2040 32.1% 14.8%
2041 31.7% 14.7%
2042 31.3% 14.5%
2043 30.9% 14.4%
2044 30.5% 14.2%
2045 30.2% 14.1%
2046 29.8% 14%
2047 29.5% 13.9%
2048 29.1% 13.8%
2049 28.8% 13.7%
2050 28.4% 13.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 40.2% of the population in the Gambia and 17.8% in Iceland in 2024, compared to 45.7% and 25% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of the Gambia and Iceland compared.

Natural population change in Gambia vs Iceland by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.59% in the Gambia and +0.57% in Iceland. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Gambia
Iceland

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Gambia Iceland
1960 8,420 3,758
1961 8,778 3,312
1962 9,150 3,465
1963 9,493 3,490
1964 9,825 3,459
1965 10,162 3,442
1966 10,422 3,305
1967 10,823 3,021
1968 11,215 2,841
1969 11,670 2,766
1970 12,128 2,576
1971 12,842 2,782
1972 13,432 3,241
1973 14,046 3,121
1974 14,628 2,776
1975 15,256 2,965
1976 16,032 2,951
1977 16,773 2,551
1978 17,424 2,727
1979 18,543 2,980
1980 19,566 2,966
1981 20,156 2,677
1982 21,894 2,736
1983 23,175 2,702
1984 24,586 2,539
1985 25,795 2,221
1986 27,195 2,384
1987 28,452 2,360
1988 29,938 2,847
1989 31,504 2,832
1990 33,163 3,058
1991 34,584 2,733
1992 35,951 2,898
1993 37,302 2,875
1994 38,880 2,713
1995 39,681 2,354
1996 40,253 2,447
1997 40,742 2,305
1998 41,842 2,357
1999 42,533 2,192
2000 43,249 2,475
2001 44,154 2,365
2002 45,156 2,243
2003 46,473 2,317
2004 48,276 2,425
2005 50,010 2,433
2006 52,335 2,491
2007 53,653 2,617
2008 55,032 2,825
2009 56,575 3,026
2010 58,554 2,862
2011 60,571 2,521
2012 62,745 2,566
2013 63,510 2,169
2014 63,185 2,324
2015 62,832 1,952
2016 62,358 1,711
2017 61,665 1,854
2018 60,854 1,975
2019 61,701 2,163
2020 62,209 2,199
2021 62,239 2,534
2022 63,634 1,719
2023 65,118 1,730

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Gambia vs Iceland

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 354 deaths per 100,000 live births in the Gambia, compared to 3 deaths in Iceland.

Gambia
Iceland
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Gambia Iceland
1985 1,454 11
1986 1,401 15
1987 1,360 13
1988 1,302 11
1989 1,258 14
1990 1,207 13
1991 1,167 11
1992 1,115 12
1993 1,072 10
1994 1,039 9
1995 999 13
1996 956 7
1997 928 8
1998 867 8
1999 830 7
2000 810 7
2001 794 6
2002 772 7
2003 749 6
2004 719 6
2005 707 5
2006 682 5
2007 675 5
2008 653 4
2009 634 5
2010 632 5
2011 634 4
2012 628 4
2013 606 4
2014 561 4
2015 527 4
2016 490 3
2017 469 3
2018 450 4
2019 422 4
2020 400 12
2021 420 5
2022 365 5
2023 354 3

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4.41% in the Gambia and 0.26% in Iceland. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Gambia
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
Gambia Iceland
1960 36.2% 2.14%
1961 35.5% 2.11%
1962 34.8% 2.07%
1963 34.1% 2.02%
1964 33.5% 1.97%
1965 32.8% 1.92%
1966 32.1% 1.85%
1967 31.5% 1.79%
1968 30.9% 1.72%
1969 30.2% 1.66%
1970 29.5% 1.6%
1971 28.9% 1.54%
1972 28.2% 1.48%
1973 27.5% 1.41%
1974 26.9% 1.35%
1975 26.2% 1.29%
1976 25.5% 1.22%
1977 24.9% 1.15%
1978 24.2% 1.09%
1979 23.6% 1.03%
1980 23% 0.97%
1981 22.3% 0.92%
1982 21.7% 0.87%
1983 21% 0.83%
1984 20.4% 0.79%
1985 19.7% 0.75%
1986 19.1% 0.73%
1987 18.4% 0.7%
1988 17.8% 0.67%
1989 17.2% 0.65%
1990 16.6% 0.63%
1991 16% 0.61%
1992 15.5% 0.58%
1993 14.9% 0.56%
1994 14.4% 0.54%
1995 13.9% 0.52%
1996 13.3% 0.49%
1997 12.8% 0.47%
1998 12.3% 0.45%
1999 11.8% 0.42%
2000 11.3% 0.4%
2001 10.9% 0.38%
2002 10.4% 0.36%
2003 9.95% 0.34%
2004 9.52% 0.33%
2005 9.11% 0.31%
2006 8.71% 0.3%
2007 8.33% 0.29%
2008 7.98% 0.28%
2009 7.64% 0.27%
2010 7.31% 0.27%
2011 7.01% 0.27%
2012 6.73% 0.26%
2013 6.45% 0.26%
2014 6.18% 0.26%
2015 5.93% 0.26%
2016 5.7% 0.26%
2017 5.47% 0.26%
2018 5.27% 0.27%
2019 5.07% 0.27%
2020 4.89% 0.27%
2021 4.72% 0.27%
2022 4.56% 0.26%
2023 4.41% 0.26%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Gambia vs Iceland
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