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Fertility & birth rates in Gambia and Somalia

Updated on by Georank team

The Gambia has an annual birth rate of 30.4 births per 1,000 people, compared to 43 for Somalia. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.01 in the Gambia and 6.13 in Somalia — 53.1% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -35.9% in the Gambia and by -15.4% in Somalia — in 1960, it was 6.25 and 7.25, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • The Gambia is ranked 30/196 by birth rate compared to 2/196 for Somalia.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.8 in the Gambia — it's 29.4 in Somalia.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 58.1 in the Gambia vs 117.1 in Somalia.
  • In the Gambia, 24.5% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 22.4% in Somalia.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.41% in the Gambia and +3.31% in Somalia.

Birth rate data compared

Gambia Somalia
Fertility rate 4.01 6.13
Birth rate 30.4 43
Birth rate rank 30/196 2/196
Age at first childbirth 20.7 years n/a
Average age at childbearing 29.8 years 29.4 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 54.1 114.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 173 269
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 68.1 98.9
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24.5% 22.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 17.1% 0.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 83.8% 31.9%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.35% 0.56%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.37% 3.49%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.38% 6.78%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4.41% 10.4%
Population change due to births and deaths +65,118 +608,203
Natural population change rank 88/196 31/196
Natural population change rate +2.41% +3.31%
Population growth +2.3% +3.54%
Population growth rank 39/197 9/197
Life expectancy 66.3 years 59.1 years

Fertility rate in Gambia vs Somalia 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 6.13 in Somalia in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Somalia
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Gambia Somalia
1960 6.25 7.25
1961 6.23 7.25
1962 6.21 7.26
1963 6.2 7.26
1964 6.2 7.26
1965 6.19 7.26
1966 6.18 7.26
1967 6.21 7.25
1968 6.22 7.23
1969 6.25 7.21
1970 6.26 7.18
1971 6.33 7.15
1972 6.37 7.12
1973 6.41 7.09
1974 6.42 7.06
1975 6.43 7.03
1976 6.43 7.02
1977 6.43 7
1978 6.42 7.13
1979 6.41 7.16
1980 6.41 7.18
1981 6.4 7.23
1982 6.4 7.25
1983 6.39 7.28
1984 6.39 7.3
1985 6.36 7.33
1986 6.34 7.35
1987 6.3 7.37
1988 6.26 7.4
1989 6.25 7.42
1990 6.25 7.44
1991 6.19 7.47
1992 6.11 7.5
1993 6.03 7.53
1994 6.04 7.54
1995 5.99 7.58
1996 5.93 7.62
1997 5.85 7.66
1998 5.82 7.66
1999 5.77 7.66
2000 5.72 7.65
2001 5.67 7.64
2002 5.66 7.63
2003 5.66 7.6
2004 5.68 7.57
2005 5.71 7.53
2006 5.74 7.49
2007 5.69 7.46
2008 5.63 7.42
2009 5.57 7.38
2010 5.56 7.32
2011 5.54 7.27
2012 5.52 7.21
2013 5.39 7.14
2014 5.2 7.06
2015 5 6.98
2016 4.81 6.88
2017 4.61 6.77
2018 4.42 6.66
2019 4.33 6.56
2020 4.25 6.45
2021 4.17 6.35
2022 4.08 6.26
2023 4.01 6.13
2024 3.91 6.01
2025 3.8 5.91
2026 3.7 5.8
2027 3.6 5.68
2028 3.51 5.58
2029 3.41 5.47
2030 3.33 5.35
2031 3.24 5.25
2032 3.17 5.14
2033 3.1 5.04
2034 3.03 4.94
2035 2.97 4.84
2036 2.91 4.74
2037 2.86 4.63
2038 2.81 4.52
2039 2.76 4.44
2040 2.71 4.35
2041 2.67 4.26
2042 2.63 4.16
2043 2.59 4.07
2044 2.56 3.99
2045 2.52 3.91
2046 2.49 3.84
2047 2.46 3.78
2048 2.43 3.71
2049 2.4 3.65
2050 2.38 3.6

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Gambia
Factual

UN forecast
Somalia
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Gambia Somalia
1960 41% 44.4%
1961 40.8% 44.7%
1962 40.7% 44.8%
1963 40.8% 45%
1964 41% 45.1%
1965 41.3% 45.1%
1966 41.5% 44.9%
1967 41.6% 44.8%
1968 41.8% 44.7%
1969 41.9% 44.6%
1970 42% 44.5%
1971 42.1% 44.5%
1972 42.2% 44.4%
1973 42.3% 44.4%
1974 42.4% 44.4%
1975 42.6% 44.3%
1976 42.8% 44.3%
1977 43% 44.3%
1978 43.3% 44.4%
1979 43.5% 44.5%
1980 43.7% 44.6%
1981 44% 44.8%
1982 44.3% 45%
1983 44.6% 45.2%
1984 44.9% 45.4%
1985 45% 45.6%
1986 45.2% 45.8%
1987 45.4% 46%
1988 45.5% 46.3%
1989 45.6% 46.7%
1990 45.7% 47%
1991 45.8% 47%
1992 45.9% 46.5%
1993 46% 46.4%
1994 46.3% 46.5%
1995 46.5% 46.7%
1996 46.7% 46.9%
1997 46.9% 47%
1998 46.9% 47.1%
1999 46.9% 47.2%
2000 46.8% 47.4%
2001 46.7% 47.5%
2002 46.6% 47.6%
2003 46.4% 47.7%
2004 46.1% 47.9%
2005 45.9% 48.2%
2006 45.6% 48.6%
2007 45.3% 48.9%
2008 45.1% 48.9%
2009 44.8% 48.8%
2010 44.5% 48.7%
2011 44.3% 48.3%
2012 44.1% 47.9%
2013 43.9% 47.8%
2014 43.7% 47.7%
2015 43.6% 47.6%
2016 43.3% 47.5%
2017 43.1% 47.4%
2018 42.8% 47.3%
2019 42.4% 47.1%
2020 42% 47%
2021 41.6% 47%
2022 41.2% 46.8%
2023 40.7% 46.7%
2024 40.2% 46.6%
2025 39.7% 46.6%
2026 39.2% 46.5%
2027 38.5% 46.4%
2028 37.9% 46.1%
2029 37.3% 45.8%
2030 36.7% 45.4%
2031 36.2% 45.1%
2032 35.7% 44.7%
2033 35.2% 44.3%
2034 34.8% 43.9%
2035 34.3% 43.5%
2036 33.9% 43.1%
2037 33.4% 42.6%
2038 33% 42.1%
2039 32.5% 41.7%
2040 32.1% 41.2%
2041 31.7% 40.8%
2042 31.3% 40.3%
2043 30.9% 39.9%
2044 30.5% 39.4%
2045 30.2% 39%
2046 29.8% 38.6%
2047 29.5% 38.2%
2048 29.1% 37.8%
2049 28.8% 37.4%
2050 28.4% 37%

Children aged 0-14 make up 40.2% of the population in the Gambia and 46.6% in Somalia in 2024, compared to 45.7% and 47% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of the Gambia and Somalia compared.

Natural population change in Gambia vs Somalia by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.59% in the Gambia and +3.34% in Somalia. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Gambia
Somalia

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Gambia Somalia
1960 8,420 73,850
1961 8,778 75,513
1962 9,150 77,737
1963 9,493 79,859
1964 9,825 82,042
1965 10,162 84,448
1966 10,422 86,930
1967 10,823 89,497
1968 11,215 92,208
1969 11,670 95,045
1970 12,128 98,025
1971 12,842 101,196
1972 13,432 104,493
1973 14,046 108,038
1974 14,628 104,813
1975 15,256 108,998
1976 16,032 113,319
1977 16,773 124,818
1978 17,424 132,689
1979 18,543 151,016
1980 19,566 174,790
1981 20,156 185,211
1982 21,894 182,793
1983 23,175 190,775
1984 24,586 199,017
1985 25,795 207,960
1986 27,195 218,416
1987 28,452 231,580
1988 29,938 215,599
1989 31,504 225,255
1990 33,163 225,162
1991 34,584 53,052
1992 35,951 57,495
1993 37,302 232,960
1994 38,880 246,950
1995 39,681 254,509
1996 40,253 264,807
1997 40,742 271,894
1998 41,842 284,779
1999 42,533 295,523
2000 43,249 306,651
2001 44,154 319,059
2002 45,156 331,215
2003 46,473 341,192
2004 48,276 351,959
2005 50,010 363,117
2006 52,335 372,597
2007 53,653 380,303
2008 55,032 394,258
2009 56,575 405,784
2010 58,554 385,571
2011 60,571 203,213
2012 62,745 399,468
2013 63,510 448,518
2014 63,185 464,481
2015 62,832 481,573
2016 62,358 495,132
2017 61,665 478,556
2018 60,854 514,244
2019 61,701 548,756
2020 62,209 561,311
2021 62,239 566,399
2022 63,634 551,450
2023 65,118 608,203

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Gambia vs Somalia

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 563 deaths in Somalia.

Gambia
Somalia
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Gambia Somalia
1985 1,454 1,465
1986 1,401 1,452
1987 1,360 1,393
1988 1,302 1,423
1989 1,258 1,395
1990 1,207 1,358
1991 1,167 1,431
1992 1,115 1,339
1993 1,072 1,195
1994 1,039 1,254
1995 999 1,210
1996 956 1,225
1997 928 1,206
1998 867 1,177
1999 830 1,170
2000 810 1,150
2001 794 1,129
2002 772 1,121
2003 749 1,111
2004 719 1,104
2005 707 1,086
2006 682 1,085
2007 675 1,074
2008 653 1,035
2009 634 995
2010 632 1,062
2011 634 972
2012 628 894
2013 606 855
2014 561 816
2015 527 784
2016 490 754
2017 469 716
2018 450 727
2019 422 656
2020 400 655
2021 420 726
2022 365 622
2023 354 563

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4.41% in the Gambia and 10.4% in Somalia. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Gambia
Somalia

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 Somalia
1960 36.2% -
1961 35.5% -
1962 34.8% -
1963 34.1% -
1964 33.5% -
1965 32.8% -
1966 32.1% -
1967 31.5% -
1968 30.9% -
1969 30.2% -
1970 29.5% -
1971 28.9% -
1972 28.2% -
1973 27.5% -
1974 26.9% -
1975 26.2% -
1976 25.5% -
1977 24.9% -
1978 24.2% -
1979 23.6% -
1980 23% -
1981 22.3% -
1982 21.7% 20.1%
1983 21% 19.8%
1984 20.4% 19.5%
1985 19.7% 19.3%
1986 19.1% 19%
1987 18.4% 18.8%
1988 17.8% 18.6%
1989 17.2% 18.3%
1990 16.6% 18%
1991 16% 44.3%
1992 15.5% 45.6%
1993 14.9% 17.3%
1994 14.4% 17.2%
1995 13.9% 17.2%
1996 13.3% 17.2%
1997 12.8% 17.2%
1998 12.3% 17.2%
1999 11.8% 17.2%
2000 11.3% 17.2%
2001 10.9% 17.2%
2002 10.4% 17.2%
2003 9.95% 17.2%
2004 9.52% 17.2%
2005 9.11% 17.2%
2006 8.71% 17.2%
2007 8.33% 17%
2008 7.98% 16.6%
2009 7.64% 16.2%
2010 7.31% 18.6%
2011 7.01% 35.9%
2012 6.73% 18.4%
2013 6.45% 14.3%
2014 6.18% 13.8%
2015 5.93% 13.4%
2016 5.7% 13%
2017 5.47% 15.5%
2018 5.27% 13.6%
2019 5.07% 11.8%
2020 4.89% 11.4%
2021 4.72% 11.1%
2022 4.56% 14.3%
2023 4.41% 10.4%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Gambia vs Somalia
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