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Fertility & birth rates in Gambia and Kenya

Updated on by Georank team

The Gambia has an annual birth rate of 30.4 births per 1,000 people, compared to 27.1 for Kenya. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.01 in the Gambia and 3.21 in Kenya — 19.9% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -35.9% in the Gambia and by -58.1% in Kenya — in 1960, it was 6.25 and 7.65, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • The Gambia is ranked 30/196 by birth rate compared to 43/196 for Kenya.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 20.7 years in the Gambia, compared to 20.3 years in Kenya.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.8 in the Gambia — it's 28.2 in Kenya.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 58.1 in the Gambia vs 56.3 in Kenya.
  • In the Gambia, 24.5% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.4% in Kenya.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.41% in the Gambia and +1.99% in Kenya.

Birth rate data compared

Gambia Kenya
Fertility rate 4.01 3.21
Birth rate 30.4 27.1
Birth rate rank 30/196 43/196
Age at first childbirth 20.7 years 20.3 years
Average age at childbearing 29.8 years 28.2 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 54.1 52.8
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 173 167.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 68.1 46.7
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24.5% 26.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 17.1% 56.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 83.8% 70.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.35% 0.15%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.37% 2.15%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.38% 3.47%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4.41% 3.99%
Population change due to births and deaths +65,118 +1,100,970
Natural population change rank 88/196 18/196
Natural population change rate +2.41% +1.99%
Population growth +2.3% +1.98%
Population growth rank 39/197 55/197
Life expectancy 66.3 years 64 years

Fertility rate in Gambia vs Kenya 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 3.21 in Kenya in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check the Gambia vs Kenya population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Kenya
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Gambia Kenya
1960 6.25 7.65
1961 6.23 7.72
1962 6.21 7.77
1963 6.2 7.82
1964 6.2 7.87
1965 6.19 7.92
1966 6.18 7.96
1967 6.21 7.95
1968 6.22 7.95
1969 6.25 7.95
1970 6.26 7.94
1971 6.33 7.92
1972 6.37 7.89
1973 6.41 7.86
1974 6.42 7.82
1975 6.43 7.8
1976 6.43 7.77
1977 6.43 7.73
1978 6.42 7.67
1979 6.41 7.6
1980 6.41 7.53
1981 6.4 7.45
1982 6.4 7.35
1983 6.39 7.22
1984 6.39 7.08
1985 6.36 6.96
1986 6.34 6.84
1987 6.3 6.69
1988 6.26 6.52
1989 6.25 6.33
1990 6.25 6.14
1991 6.19 5.94
1992 6.11 5.74
1993 6.03 5.57
1994 6.04 5.44
1995 5.99 5.37
1996 5.93 5.31
1997 5.85 5.27
1998 5.82 5.24
1999 5.77 5.18
2000 5.72 5.14
2001 5.67 5.09
2002 5.66 5.03
2003 5.66 4.94
2004 5.68 4.86
2005 5.71 4.8
2006 5.74 4.75
2007 5.69 4.72
2008 5.63 4.66
2009 5.57 4.57
2010 5.56 4.45
2011 5.54 4.28
2012 5.52 4.12
2013 5.39 3.96
2014 5.2 3.84
2015 5 3.77
2016 4.81 3.69
2017 4.61 3.61
2018 4.42 3.54
2019 4.33 3.43
2020 4.25 3.36
2021 4.17 3.31
2022 4.08 3.26
2023 4.01 3.21
2024 3.91 3.17
2025 3.8 3.12
2026 3.7 3.07
2027 3.6 3.03
2028 3.51 2.99
2029 3.41 2.95
2030 3.33 2.92
2031 3.24 2.89
2032 3.17 2.85
2033 3.1 2.82
2034 3.03 2.78
2035 2.97 2.75
2036 2.91 2.72
2037 2.86 2.69
2038 2.81 2.66
2039 2.76 2.63
2040 2.71 2.61
2041 2.67 2.58
2042 2.63 2.55
2043 2.59 2.53
2044 2.56 2.5
2045 2.52 2.47
2046 2.49 2.44
2047 2.46 2.42
2048 2.43 2.4
2049 2.4 2.38
2050 2.38 2.36

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Kenya
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Gambia Kenya
1960 41% 48.7%
1961 40.8% 49.1%
1962 40.7% 49.4%
1963 40.8% 49.7%
1964 41% 49.8%
1965 41.3% 50.2%
1966 41.5% 50.6%
1967 41.6% 50.9%
1968 41.8% 51.2%
1969 41.9% 51.4%
1970 42% 51.6%
1971 42.1% 51.7%
1972 42.2% 51.9%
1973 42.3% 52%
1974 42.4% 52%
1975 42.6% 52%
1976 42.8% 52.1%
1977 43% 52%
1978 43.3% 51.9%
1979 43.5% 51.7%
1980 43.7% 51.5%
1981 44% 51.3%
1982 44.3% 51.1%
1983 44.6% 50.8%
1984 44.9% 50.6%
1985 45% 50.3%
1986 45.2% 50.1%
1987 45.4% 49.9%
1988 45.5% 49.7%
1989 45.6% 49.5%
1990 45.7% 49.2%
1991 45.8% 48.9%
1992 45.9% 48.7%
1993 46% 48.4%
1994 46.3% 48%
1995 46.5% 47.7%
1996 46.7% 47.4%
1997 46.9% 47.1%
1998 46.9% 46.8%
1999 46.9% 46.5%
2000 46.8% 46.1%
2001 46.7% 45.7%
2002 46.6% 45.3%
2003 46.4% 45%
2004 46.1% 44.6%
2005 45.9% 44.4%
2006 45.6% 44.2%
2007 45.3% 44%
2008 45.1% 43.9%
2009 44.8% 43.8%
2010 44.5% 43.6%
2011 44.3% 43.4%
2012 44.1% 43.2%
2013 43.9% 42.8%
2014 43.7% 42.4%
2015 43.6% 42%
2016 43.3% 41.5%
2017 43.1% 41%
2018 42.8% 40.5%
2019 42.4% 39.9%
2020 42% 39.3%
2021 41.6% 38.7%
2022 41.2% 38.1%
2023 40.7% 37.4%
2024 40.2% 36.8%
2025 39.7% 36.3%
2026 39.2% 35.7%
2027 38.5% 35.3%
2028 37.9% 34.9%
2029 37.3% 34.5%
2030 36.7% 34.2%
2031 36.2% 33.9%
2032 35.7% 33.6%
2033 35.2% 33.4%
2034 34.8% 33.2%
2035 34.3% 32.9%
2036 33.9% 32.7%
2037 33.4% 32.5%
2038 33% 32.2%
2039 32.5% 32%
2040 32.1% 31.7%
2041 31.7% 31.4%
2042 31.3% 31%
2043 30.9% 30.7%
2044 30.5% 30.4%
2045 30.2% 30%
2046 29.8% 29.7%
2047 29.5% 29.3%
2048 29.1% 28.9%
2049 28.8% 28.5%
2050 28.4% 28.2%

Children aged 0-14 make up 40.2% of the population in the Gambia and 36.8% in Kenya in 2024, compared to 45.7% and 49.2% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of the Gambia and Kenya compared.

Natural population change in Gambia vs Kenya by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.59% in the Gambia and +2.16% in Kenya. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Gambia
Kenya

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Gambia Kenya
1960 8,420 280,032
1961 8,778 298,463
1962 9,150 315,797
1963 9,493 332,763
1964 9,825 349,322
1965 10,162 366,444
1966 10,422 382,891
1967 10,823 396,920
1968 11,215 411,948
1969 11,670 427,819
1970 12,128 443,065
1971 12,842 459,897
1972 13,432 472,557
1973 14,046 485,556
1974 14,628 500,008
1975 15,256 517,579
1976 16,032 536,740
1977 16,773 554,124
1978 17,424 574,695
1979 18,543 595,390
1980 19,566 616,390
1981 20,156 642,379
1982 21,894 663,109
1983 23,175 684,587
1984 24,586 709,639
1985 25,795 732,739
1986 27,195 755,606
1987 28,452 775,124
1988 29,938 785,652
1989 31,504 795,622
1990 33,163 789,087
1991 34,584 790,030
1992 35,951 785,018
1993 37,302 788,579
1994 38,880 792,702
1995 39,681 812,391
1996 40,253 827,326
1997 40,742 847,493
1998 41,842 875,511
1999 42,533 898,484
2000 43,249 928,357
2001 44,154 963,721
2002 45,156 992,044
2003 46,473 1,018,182
2004 48,276 1,048,590
2005 50,010 1,080,446
2006 52,335 1,113,357
2007 53,653 1,147,063
2008 55,032 1,174,818
2009 56,575 1,193,598
2010 58,554 1,199,786
2011 60,571 1,185,863
2012 62,745 1,161,548
2013 63,510 1,136,006
2014 63,185 1,123,333
2015 62,832 1,119,200
2016 62,358 1,108,801
2017 61,665 1,105,769
2018 60,854 1,097,075
2019 61,701 1,071,777
2020 62,209 1,036,253
2021 62,239 1,037,082
2022 63,634 1,092,102
2023 65,118 1,100,970

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Gambia vs Kenya

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 149 deaths in Kenya.

Gambia
Kenya
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Gambia Kenya
1985 1,454 1,375
1986 1,401 1,059
1987 1,360 960
1988 1,302 756
1989 1,258 663
1990 1,207 586
1991 1,167 493
1992 1,115 419
1993 1,072 363
1994 1,039 342
1995 999 308
1996 956 275
1997 928 253
1998 867 250
1999 830 217
2000 810 206
2001 794 188
2002 772 182
2003 749 177
2004 719 177
2005 707 178
2006 682 188
2007 675 198
2008 653 197
2009 634 208
2010 632 210
2011 634 209
2012 628 214
2013 606 206
2014 561 203
2015 527 203
2016 490 196
2017 469 186
2018 450 183
2019 422 176
2020 400 184
2021 420 183
2022 365 155
2023 354 149

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4.41% in the Gambia and 3.99% in Kenya. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Gambia
Kenya

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 Kenya
1960 36.2% 19.6%
1961 35.5% 18.8%
1962 34.8% 18.1%
1963 34.1% 17.5%
1964 33.5% 17%
1965 32.8% 16.6%
1966 32.1% 16.3%
1967 31.5% 16%
1968 30.9% 15.7%
1969 30.2% 15.4%
1970 29.5% 15%
1971 28.9% 14.7%
1972 28.2% 14.3%
1973 27.5% 14%
1974 26.9% 13.5%
1975 26.2% 13.1%
1976 25.5% 12.7%
1977 24.9% 12.2%
1978 24.2% 11.8%
1979 23.6% 11.4%
1980 23% 11%
1981 22.3% 10.6%
1982 21.7% 10.3%
1983 21% 9.98%
1984 20.4% 9.74%
1985 19.7% 9.57%
1986 19.1% 9.49%
1987 18.4% 9.51%
1988 17.8% 9.63%
1989 17.2% 9.85%
1990 16.6% 10.1%
1991 16% 10.5%
1992 15.5% 10.7%
1993 14.9% 10.9%
1994 14.4% 11%
1995 13.9% 11%
1996 13.3% 10.9%
1997 12.8% 10.7%
1998 12.3% 10.4%
1999 11.8% 10.1%
2000 11.3% 9.63%
2001 10.9% 9.16%
2002 10.4% 8.66%
2003 9.95% 8.16%
2004 9.52% 7.66%
2005 9.11% 7.15%
2006 8.71% 6.71%
2007 8.33% 6.32%
2008 7.98% 5.82%
2009 7.64% 5.54%
2010 7.31% 5.35%
2011 7.01% 5.22%
2012 6.73% 5.12%
2013 6.45% 5%
2014 6.18% 4.88%
2015 5.93% 4.74%
2016 5.7% 4.6%
2017 5.47% 4.53%
2018 5.27% 4.43%
2019 5.07% 4.33%
2020 4.89% 4.28%
2021 4.72% 4.19%
2022 4.56% 4.11%
2023 4.41% 3.99%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Gambia vs Kenya
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