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Fertility & birth rates in Germany and Sweden

Updated on by Georank team

Germany has an annual birth rate of 8.3 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 1.39 in Germany and 1.45 in Sweden — 4.32% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -41.4% in Germany and by -33.2% in Sweden — in 1960, it was 2.37 and 2.17, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Germany is ranked 172/196 by birth rate compared to 153/196 for Sweden.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 29.8 years in Germany, compared to 30 years in Sweden.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31.6 in Germany — it's 31.7 in Sweden.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 5.47 in Germany vs 1.79 in Sweden.
  • In Germany, 19.7% 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 -0.4% in Germany and +0.05% in Sweden.

Birth rate data compared

Germany Sweden
Fertility rate 1.39 1.45
Birth rate 8.3 9.5
Birth rate rank 172/196 153/196
Age at first childbirth 29.8 years 30 years
Average age at childbearing 31.6 years 31.7 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 5.05 1.63
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 52.9 54
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 15.4 18.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 19.7% 21.3%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 80.2% n/a
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 96.2% 100%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.004% 0.004%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.23% 0.14%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.31% 0.2%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.37% 0.25%
Population change due to births and deaths -335,608 +5,269
Natural population change rank 193/196 125/196
Natural population change rate -0.4% +0.05%
Population growth -0.47% +0.31%
Population growth rank 184/197 148/197
Life expectancy 81.7 years 83.6 years

Fertility rate in Germany vs Sweden chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Germany was 1.39 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 Germany vs Sweden population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Germany
Factual

UN forecast
Sweden
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Germany Sweden
1960 2.37 2.17
1961 2.45 2.21
1962 2.44 2.25
1963 2.51 2.33
1964 2.54 2.47
1965 2.5 2.39
1966 2.53 2.37
1967 2.48 2.28
1968 2.38 2.07
1969 2.21 1.93
1970 2.03 1.92
1971 1.92 1.96
1972 1.71 1.91
1973 1.54 1.87
1974 1.51 1.87
1975 1.45 1.77
1976 1.45 1.68
1977 1.4 1.64
1978 1.38 1.6
1979 1.38 1.66
1980 1.44 1.68
1981 1.43 1.63
1982 1.41 1.62
1983 1.33 1.61
1984 1.29 1.66
1985 1.37 1.74
1986 1.43 1.8
1987 1.43 1.84
1988 1.46 1.96
1989 1.42 2.01
1990 1.45 2.13
1991 1.33 2.11
1992 1.29 2.09
1993 1.28 1.99
1994 1.24 1.88
1995 1.25 1.73
1996 1.3 1.6
1997 1.35 1.52
1998 1.36 1.5
1999 1.36 1.5
2000 1.38 1.54
2001 1.35 1.57
2002 1.34 1.65
2003 1.34 1.71
2004 1.36 1.75
2005 1.34 1.77
2006 1.33 1.85
2007 1.37 1.88
2008 1.38 1.91
2009 1.36 1.94
2010 1.39 1.98
2011 1.39 1.9
2012 1.41 1.91
2013 1.42 1.89
2014 1.47 1.88
2015 1.5 1.85
2016 1.6 1.85
2017 1.57 1.78
2018 1.57 1.76
2019 1.54 1.71
2020 1.53 1.67
2021 1.58 1.67
2022 1.46 1.53
2023 1.39 1.45
2024 1.4 1.45
2025 1.4 1.46
2026 1.41 1.46
2027 1.41 1.47
2028 1.42 1.47
2029 1.42 1.48
2030 1.42 1.48
2031 1.43 1.49
2032 1.43 1.49
2033 1.44 1.49
2034 1.44 1.5
2035 1.44 1.5
2036 1.45 1.5
2037 1.45 1.51
2038 1.45 1.51
2039 1.46 1.51
2040 1.46 1.52
2041 1.46 1.52
2042 1.47 1.53
2043 1.47 1.53
2044 1.47 1.53
2045 1.47 1.53
2046 1.48 1.53
2047 1.48 1.54
2048 1.48 1.54
2049 1.48 1.54
2050 1.48 1.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Germany
Factual

UN forecast
Sweden
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Germany Sweden
1960 21.3% 22.4%
1961 21.7% 22%
1962 22% 21.5%
1963 22.3% 21.2%
1964 22.6% 21%
1965 22.8% 20.9%
1966 23% 20.9%
1967 23.1% 21%
1968 23.3% 20.9%
1969 23.3% 20.9%
1970 23.2% 20.8%
1971 23% 20.8%
1972 22.8% 20.8%
1973 22.4% 20.7%
1974 22% 20.7%
1975 21.5% 20.7%
1976 20.9% 20.6%
1977 20.3% 20.5%
1978 19.7% 20.3%
1979 19.1% 19.9%
1980 18.5% 19.6%
1981 17.9% 19.2%
1982 17.4% 18.9%
1983 16.9% 18.6%
1984 16.4% 18.3%
1985 16% 18.2%
1986 15.8% 18%
1987 15.6% 17.9%
1988 15.7% 17.8%
1989 15.9% 17.8%
1990 16.1% 17.9%
1991 16.3% 18.1%
1992 16.3% 18.4%
1993 16.3% 18.6%
1994 16.3% 18.8%
1995 16.3% 18.9%
1996 16.2% 18.8%
1997 16.1% 18.7%
1998 15.9% 18.7%
1999 15.8% 18.6%
2000 15.7% 18.4%
2001 15.5% 18.3%
2002 15.3% 18.1%
2003 15% 17.9%
2004 14.8% 17.7%
2005 14.5% 17.4%
2006 14.2% 17.1%
2007 14% 16.9%
2008 13.8% 16.7%
2009 13.8% 16.6%
2010 13.7% 16.6%
2011 13.6% 16.7%
2012 13.4% 16.8%
2013 13.2% 17%
2014 13.2% 17.2%
2015 13.2% 17.3%
2016 13.3% 17.5%
2017 13.5% 17.7%
2018 13.6% 17.8%
2019 13.7% 17.8%
2020 13.8% 17.7%
2021 13.9% 17.7%
2022 13.9% 17.5%
2023 13.9% 17.2%
2024 13.9% 17%
2025 13.9% 16.7%
2026 13.9% 16.4%
2027 13.8% 16.2%
2028 13.8% 15.9%
2029 13.7% 15.6%
2030 13.6% 15.3%
2031 13.5% 15.1%
2032 13.4% 14.8%
2033 13.2% 14.5%
2034 13.1% 14.3%
2035 12.9% 14.1%
2036 12.8% 13.9%
2037 12.7% 13.8%
2038 12.6% 13.8%
2039 12.6% 13.8%
2040 12.6% 13.8%
2041 12.5% 13.8%
2042 12.5% 13.9%
2043 12.6% 13.9%
2044 12.6% 14%
2045 12.7% 14.1%
2046 12.7% 14.1%
2047 12.8% 14.2%
2048 12.9% 14.3%
2049 13% 14.4%
2050 13.1% 14.4%

Children aged 0-14 make up 13.9% of the population in Germany and 17% in Sweden in 2024, compared to 16.1% and 17.9% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Germany and Sweden compared.

Natural population change in Germany vs Sweden by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been -0.25% in Germany and +0.2% in Sweden. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Germany
Sweden

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Germany Sweden
1960 385,919 27,693
1961 462,279 30,832
1962 436,752 30,246
1963 455,757 35,741
1964 482,038 45,968
1965 410,204 44,857
1966 405,982 45,286
1967 353,977 41,700
1968 239,612 30,858
1969 155,820 23,904
1970 70,352 30,563
1971 46,988 31,583
1972 -62,950 28,428
1973 -149,980 24,409
1974 -150,038 23,664
1975 -212,418 14,746
1976 -164,508 8,222
1977 -125,055 7,426
1978 -140,566 4,138
1979 -125,002 4,976
1980 -86,117 5,818
1981 -94,090 1,664
1982 -78,333 1,665
1983 -109,380 833
1984 -109,002 3,335
1985 -116,527 4,175
1986 -77,721 9,206
1987 -31,136 11,757
1988 -7,815 15,186
1989 -23,625 24,629
1990 -15,887 29,100
1991 -80,014 29,299
1992 -80,625 28,605
1993 -105,503 20,924
1994 -114,013 20,196
1995 -114,349 9,710
1996 -90,107 1,768
1997 -49,221 -3,539
1998 -65,637 -3,541
1999 -73,890 -6,201
2000 -73,990 -2,662
2001 -98,820 -1,779
2002 -123,733 893
2003 -140,309 6,271
2004 -107,271 9,893
2005 -148,445 9,030
2006 -148,278 15,436
2007 -148,080 15,552
2008 -164,220 18,439
2009 -188,375 21,387
2010 -179,909 25,320
2011 -184,632 21,733
2012 -193,022 20,943
2013 -209,679 23,041
2014 -153,866 26,179
2015 -187,879 23,518
2016 -123,523 25,800
2017 -148,783 24,138
2018 -165,812 23,403
2019 -157,877 25,697
2020 -216,218 14,495
2021 -224,629 22,914
2022 -326,812 10,487
2023 -335,608 5,269

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Germany vs Sweden

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 4 deaths per 100,000 live births in Germany, compared to 4 deaths in Sweden.

Germany
Sweden
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Germany Sweden
1985 14 8
1986 14 8
1987 13 8
1988 13 9
1989 12 9
1990 12 8
1991 11 8
1992 10 8
1993 9 8
1994 9 7
1995 8 7
1996 8 6
1997 8 6
1998 7 6
1999 7 6
2000 7 5
2001 6 5
2002 6 5
2003 6 5
2004 6 5
2005 6 5
2006 6 5
2007 5 5
2008 6 5
2009 6 5
2010 5 5
2011 5 5
2012 5 5
2013 5 5
2014 5 5
2015 5 5
2016 4 5
2017 4 5
2018 4 5
2019 4 4
2020 4 5
2021 4 5
2022 4 5
2023 4 4

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.37% in Germany and 0.25% in Sweden. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Germany
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
Germany Sweden
1960 - 1.96%
1961 - 1.92%
1962 - 1.86%
1963 - 1.79%
1964 - 1.71%
1965 - 1.63%
1966 - 1.56%
1967 - 1.49%
1968 2.71% 1.44%
1969 2.64% 1.39%
1970 2.57% 1.34%
1971 2.49% 1.29%
1972 2.4% 1.23%
1973 2.31% 1.16%
1974 2.2% 1.09%
1975 2.08% 1.03%
1976 1.95% 0.98%
1977 1.83% 0.94%
1978 1.71% 0.9%
1979 1.6% 0.87%
1980 1.5% 0.84%
1981 1.41% 0.82%
1982 1.32% 0.8%
1983 1.25% 0.78%
1984 1.18% 0.77%
1985 1.11% 0.76%
1986 1.06% 0.75%
1987 1.01% 0.74%
1988 0.95% 0.73%
1989 0.9% 0.72%
1990 0.85% 0.7%
1991 0.8% 0.66%
1992 0.76% 0.62%
1993 0.72% 0.57%
1994 0.68% 0.52%
1995 0.65% 0.48%
1996 0.62% 0.46%
1997 0.59% 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 0.5% 0.39%
2004 0.48% 0.37%
2005 0.47% 0.36%
2006 0.46% 0.35%
2007 0.45% 0.33%
2008 0.44% 0.32%
2009 0.43% 0.31%
2010 0.42% 0.31%
2011 0.41% 0.3%
2012 0.4% 0.3%
2013 0.4% 0.29%
2014 0.4% 0.29%
2015 0.39% 0.29%
2016 0.39% 0.28%
2017 0.38% 0.28%
2018 0.38% 0.27%
2019 0.37% 0.26%
2020 0.37% 0.26%
2021 0.37% 0.25%
2022 0.37% 0.25%
2023 0.37% 0.25%

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Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Germany vs Sweden
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