Skip to content

Fertility & birth rates in Ghana and Namibia

Updated on by Georank team

Ghana has an annual birth rate of 26.3 births per 1,000 people, compared to 25.9 for Namibia. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.4 in Ghana and 3.21 in Namibia — 5.45% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -50.7% in Ghana and by -48.6% in Namibia — in 1960, it was 6.89 and 6.24, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Ghana is ranked 47/196 by birth rate compared to 49/196 for Namibia.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 22.1 years in Ghana, compared to 21.6 years in Namibia.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.5 in Ghana — it's 28.9 in Namibia.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 58.2 in Ghana vs 66 in Namibia.
  • In Ghana, 25.6% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 25.7% in Namibia.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +1.93% in Ghana and +1.97% in Namibia.

Birth rate data compared

Ghana Namibia
Fertility rate 3.4 3.21
Birth rate 26.3 25.9
Birth rate rank 47/196 49/196
Age at first childbirth 22.1 years 21.6 years
Average age at childbearing 29.5 years 28.9 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 56.7 64.8
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 148.4 147.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 53.2 50.3
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 25.6% 25.7%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 27.8% 55.3%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 78.9% 88.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.23% 0.14%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.12% 2.41%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 2.82% 3.84%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 3.71% 4.07%
Population change due to births and deaths +651,094 +58,435
Natural population change rank 30/196 90/196
Natural population change rate +1.93% +1.97%
Population growth +1.89% +2.26%
Population growth rank 59/197 43/197
Life expectancy 65.9 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Ghana vs Namibia chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Ghana was 3.4 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.21 in Namibia in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Ghana vs Namibia population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Ghana
Factual

UN forecast
Namibia
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Ghana Namibia
1960 6.89 6.24
1961 6.91 6.29
1962 6.94 6.35
1963 6.94 6.41
1964 6.9 6.43
1965 6.88 6.45
1966 6.86 6.47
1967 6.89 6.49
1968 6.89 6.5
1969 6.95 6.51
1970 6.95 6.52
1971 6.95 6.52
1972 6.92 6.53
1973 6.87 6.54
1974 6.82 6.55
1975 6.76 6.53
1976 6.7 6.49
1977 6.64 6.44
1978 6.56 6.38
1979 6.51 6.31
1980 6.47 6.24
1981 6.42 6.16
1982 6.31 6.08
1983 6.23 6
1984 6.15 5.94
1985 6.12 5.88
1986 6.08 5.79
1987 6.02 5.7
1988 5.92 5.61
1989 5.82 5.52
1990 5.74 5.4
1991 5.63 5.29
1992 5.52 5.11
1993 5.41 4.91
1994 5.25 4.68
1995 5.11 4.42
1996 4.96 4.2
1997 4.88 4.17
1998 4.83 4.18
1999 4.82 4.14
2000 4.83 3.99
2001 4.77 3.83
2002 4.69 3.69
2003 4.6 3.58
2004 4.5 3.55
2005 4.5 3.57
2006 4.4 3.6
2007 4.29 3.61
2008 4.22 3.62
2009 4.18 3.63
2010 4.18 3.66
2011 4.18 3.66
2012 4.15 3.68
2013 4.11 3.65
2014 4.03 3.64
2015 3.98 3.6
2016 3.87 3.57
2017 3.72 3.51
2018 3.65 3.46
2019 3.59 3.4
2020 3.54 3.35
2021 3.49 3.3
2022 3.43 3.25
2023 3.4 3.21
2024 3.34 3.21
2025 3.3 3.17
2026 3.26 3.13
2027 3.22 3.09
2028 3.18 3.06
2029 3.14 3.02
2030 3.1 2.98
2031 3.06 2.94
2032 3.03 2.91
2033 2.99 2.88
2034 2.96 2.84
2035 2.93 2.81
2036 2.9 2.78
2037 2.87 2.75
2038 2.84 2.72
2039 2.81 2.68
2040 2.78 2.66
2041 2.76 2.63
2042 2.73 2.6
2043 2.71 2.58
2044 2.68 2.56
2045 2.66 2.53
2046 2.64 2.51
2047 2.62 2.49
2048 2.59 2.47
2049 2.57 2.45
2050 2.55 2.43

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Ghana
Factual

UN forecast
Namibia
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Ghana Namibia
1960 45.4% 42.2%
1961 45.9% 42.4%
1962 46.4% 42.6%
1963 46.8% 42.7%
1964 47.1% 42.9%
1965 47.4% 43%
1966 47.6% 43.2%
1967 47.8% 43.3%
1968 47.9% 43.5%
1969 48.1% 43.6%
1970 48.2% 43.8%
1971 48.4% 43.9%
1972 48.4% 44.1%
1973 48.4% 44.3%
1974 48.3% 44.6%
1975 48.2% 44.8%
1976 47.9% 45%
1977 47.5% 45.3%
1978 47% 45.9%
1979 46.5% 46.3%
1980 46.2% 46.6%
1981 45.9% 47.1%
1982 45.7% 47.2%
1983 45.4% 46.9%
1984 45.2% 46.6%
1985 45.3% 46.2%
1986 45.4% 45.8%
1987 45.5% 45.3%
1988 45.4% 44.8%
1989 45.4% 43.4%
1990 45.3% 42.3%
1991 45.2% 42.2%
1992 45% 42.2%
1993 44.8% 42.2%
1994 44.5% 42.2%
1995 44.2% 42.1%
1996 43.9% 42%
1997 43.5% 41.9%
1998 43.1% 41.8%
1999 42.7% 41.7%
2000 42.3% 41.5%
2001 41.9% 41.3%
2002 41.5% 41%
2003 41.1% 40.5%
2004 40.7% 40%
2005 40.4% 39.4%
2006 40.1% 38.7%
2007 39.8% 38.1%
2008 39.5% 37.5%
2009 39.3% 37.1%
2010 39.1% 36.8%
2011 39% 36.7%
2012 38.9% 36.6%
2013 38.9% 36.6%
2014 38.8% 36.5%
2015 38.6% 36.5%
2016 38.4% 36.5%
2017 38.1% 36.7%
2018 37.8% 36.8%
2019 37.6% 37%
2020 37.2% 37.1%
2021 36.9% 37.4%
2022 36.5% 37.5%
2023 36.2% 37.3%
2024 35.8% 37%
2025 35.4% 36.7%
2026 35% 36.3%
2027 34.6% 35.9%
2028 34.1% 35.5%
2029 33.7% 35.1%
2030 33.3% 34.6%
2031 32.8% 34%
2032 32.5% 33.5%
2033 32.2% 32.9%
2034 31.9% 32.4%
2035 31.6% 31.8%
2036 31.4% 31.1%
2037 31.2% 30.6%
2038 30.9% 30.3%
2039 30.7% 30%
2040 30.5% 29.7%
2041 30.3% 29.5%
2042 30.1% 29.2%
2043 29.8% 29%
2044 29.6% 28.8%
2045 29.4% 28.5%
2046 29.2% 28.3%
2047 29% 28.1%
2048 28.8% 27.9%
2049 28.5% 27.7%
2050 28.3% 27.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 35.8% of the population in Ghana and 37% in Namibia in 2024, compared to 45.3% and 42.3% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Ghana and Namibia compared.

Natural population change in Ghana vs Namibia by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.1% in Ghana and +2.04% in Namibia. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Ghana
Namibia

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Ghana Namibia
1960 217,134 14,307
1961 222,372 14,936
1962 223,842 15,656
1963 225,367 16,430
1964 226,685 17,134
1965 229,061 17,902
1966 231,440 18,635
1967 237,156 19,498
1968 242,821 20,470
1969 251,925 21,387
1970 257,938 22,414
1971 265,442 23,467
1972 275,236 24,606
1973 283,385 25,754
1974 290,796 26,844
1975 298,267 27,882
1976 305,769 28,785
1977 315,429 29,241
1978 324,428 29,821
1979 334,848 28,930
1980 346,816 28,142
1981 359,572 27,938
1982 369,061 27,474
1983 379,846 28,307
1984 392,053 29,395
1985 401,722 30,575
1986 411,191 31,764
1987 419,328 33,340
1988 425,031 34,798
1989 432,541 37,715
1990 442,211 43,956
1991 448,159 44,523
1992 452,156 43,945
1993 454,669 42,861
1994 449,589 41,316
1995 451,748 39,119
1996 450,259 37,177
1997 459,822 37,256
1998 471,313 37,500
1999 487,210 37,233
2000 508,738 35,280
2001 519,382 32,942
2002 528,620 31,947
2003 536,656 31,115
2004 543,339 31,478
2005 563,234 32,909
2006 569,474 34,690
2007 572,332 36,430
2008 579,695 38,147
2009 592,825 39,942
2010 613,133 42,046
2011 631,501 43,557
2012 646,595 46,204
2013 658,638 47,801
2014 660,829 49,581
2015 667,729 50,846
2016 659,910 52,228
2017 641,218 52,975
2018 641,551 53,970
2019 642,403 54,769
2020 637,469 55,034
2021 635,805 50,160
2022 646,441 54,534
2023 651,094 58,435

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Ghana vs Namibia

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 234 deaths per 100,000 live births in Ghana, compared to 139 deaths in Namibia.

Ghana
Namibia
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Ghana Namibia
1985 943 354
1986 908 348
1987 873 336
1988 834 342
1989 799 306
1990 769 325
1991 745 337
1992 718 346
1993 696 354
1994 670 367
1995 630 369
1996 591 387
1997 553 383
1998 521 396
1999 490 371
2000 472 384
2001 460 376
2002 434 313
2003 410 290
2004 403 282
2005 390 344
2006 385 408
2007 377 489
2008 380 537
2009 369 547
2010 363 531
2011 356 498
2012 351 439
2013 338 402
2014 317 369
2015 310 307
2016 296 250
2017 287 213
2018 276 198
2019 260 175
2020 253 143
2021 264 254
2022 239 127
2023 234 139

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 3.71% in Ghana and 4.07% in Namibia. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Ghana
Namibia

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
Ghana Namibia
1960 20.9% -
1961 20.7% -
1962 20.5% -
1963 20.4% -
1964 20.3% -
1965 20.3% -
1966 20.3% -
1967 20.3% 9.66%
1968 20.3% 9.64%
1969 20.3% 9.65%
1970 20.2% 9.65%
1971 20.1% 9.67%
1972 19.9% 9.68%
1973 19.6% 9.73%
1974 19.2% 9.79%
1975 18.7% 9.89%
1976 18.2% 10%
1977 17.7% 10.2%
1978 17.2% 10.3%
1979 16.9% 10.3%
1980 16.7% 10.3%
1981 16.6% 10.2%
1982 16.4% 9.93%
1983 16.2% 9.61%
1984 15.9% 9.22%
1985 15.5% 8.81%
1986 15% 8.43%
1987 14.4% 8.09%
1988 13.8% 7.81%
1989 13.3% 7.57%
1990 12.8% 7.39%
1991 12.3% 7.24%
1992 12% 7.14%
1993 11.8% 7.1%
1994 11.6% 7.13%
1995 11.5% 7.24%
1996 11.3% 7.39%
1997 11.1% 7.56%
1998 10.8% 7.7%
1999 10.4% 7.79%
2000 10% 7.79%
2001 9.61% 7.71%
2002 9.21% 7.61%
2003 8.85% 7.51%
2004 8.52% 7.41%
2005 8.22% 7.05%
2006 7.93% 6.49%
2007 7.63% 6.06%
2008 7.31% 5.64%
2009 6.99% 5.29%
2010 6.65% 5.08%
2011 6.33% 5.16%
2012 6.02% 5.51%
2013 5.74% 5.4%
2014 5.48% 5.31%
2015 5.25% 5.5%
2016 5.02% 5.42%
2017 4.81% 5.19%
2018 4.6% 5.01%
2019 4.39% 4.78%
2020 4.2% 4.57%
2021 4.02% 4.38%
2022 3.85% 4.2%
2023 3.71% 4.07%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Ghana vs Namibia
Afghanistan Compare Compare
Albania Compare Compare
Algeria Compare Compare
Andorra Compare Compare
Angola Compare Compare
Antigua Compare Compare
Argentina Compare Compare
Armenia Compare Compare
Australia Compare Compare
Austria Compare Compare
Azerbaijan Compare Compare
Bahamas Compare Compare
Bahrain Compare Compare
Bangladesh Compare Compare
Barbados Compare Compare
Belarus Compare Compare
Belgium Compare Compare
Belize Compare Compare
Benin Compare Compare
Bhutan Compare Compare
Bolivia Compare Compare
Bosnia Compare Compare
Botswana Compare Compare
Brazil Compare Compare
Brunei Compare Compare
Bulgaria Compare Compare
Burkina Faso Compare Compare
Burundi Compare Compare
Cambodia Compare Compare
Cameroon Compare Compare
Canada Compare Compare
Cape Verde Compare Compare
Cayman Islands Compare Compare
CAR Compare Compare
Chad Compare Compare
Chile Compare Compare
China Compare Compare
Colombia Compare Compare
Comoros Compare Compare
Congo Compare Compare
Costa Rica Compare Compare
Croatia Compare Compare
Cuba Compare Compare
Curacao Compare Compare
Cyprus Compare Compare
Czech Republic Compare Compare
DR Congo Compare Compare
Denmark Compare Compare
Djibouti Compare Compare
Dominica Compare Compare
Dominican Republic Compare Compare
East Timor Compare Compare
Ecuador Compare Compare
Egypt Compare Compare
El Salvador Compare Compare
Equatorial Guinea Compare Compare
Eritrea Compare Compare
Estonia Compare Compare
Eswatini Compare Compare
Ethiopia Compare Compare
Fiji Compare Compare
Finland Compare Compare
France Compare Compare
Gabon Compare Compare
Gambia Compare Compare
Georgia Compare Compare
Germany Compare Compare
Greece Compare Compare
Grenada Compare Compare
Guatemala Compare Compare
Guinea Compare Compare
Guinea-Bissau Compare Compare
Guyana Compare Compare
Haiti Compare Compare
Honduras Compare Compare
Hungary Compare Compare
Iceland Compare Compare
India Compare Compare
Indonesia Compare Compare
Iran Compare Compare
Iraq Compare Compare
Ireland Compare Compare
Israel Compare Compare
Italy Compare Compare
Ivory Coast Compare Compare
Jamaica Compare Compare
Japan Compare Compare
Jordan Compare Compare
Kazakhstan Compare Compare
Kenya Compare Compare
Kiribati Compare Compare
Kuwait Compare Compare
Kyrgyzstan Compare Compare
Laos Compare Compare
Latvia Compare Compare
Lebanon Compare Compare
Lesotho Compare Compare
Liberia Compare Compare
Libya Compare Compare
Liechtenstein Compare Compare
Lithuania Compare Compare
Luxembourg Compare Compare
Madagascar Compare Compare
Malawi Compare Compare
Malaysia Compare Compare
Maldives Compare Compare
Mali Compare Compare
Malta Compare Compare
Marshall Islands Compare Compare
Mauritania Compare Compare
Mauritius Compare Compare
Mexico Compare Compare
Moldova Compare Compare
Monaco Compare Compare
Mongolia Compare Compare
Montenegro Compare Compare
Morocco Compare Compare
Mozambique Compare Compare
Myanmar Compare Compare
Nauru Compare Compare
Nepal Compare Compare
Netherlands Compare Compare
New Zealand Compare Compare
Nicaragua Compare Compare
Niger Compare Compare
Nigeria Compare Compare
North Korea Compare Compare
North Macedonia Compare Compare
Norway Compare Compare
Oman Compare Compare
Pakistan Compare Compare
Palau Compare Compare
Palestine Compare Compare
Panama Compare Compare
Papua New Guinea Compare Compare
Paraguay Compare Compare
Peru Compare Compare
Philippines Compare Compare
Poland Compare Compare
Portugal Compare Compare
Qatar Compare Compare
Romania Compare Compare
Russia Compare Compare
Rwanda Compare Compare
Saint Kitts Compare Compare
Saint Lucia Compare Compare
Saint Vincent Compare Compare
Samoa Compare Compare
San Marino Compare Compare
Sao Tome Compare Compare
Saudi Arabia Compare Compare
Senegal Compare Compare
Serbia Compare Compare
Seychelles Compare Compare
Sierra Leone Compare Compare
Singapore Compare Compare
Slovakia Compare Compare
Slovenia Compare Compare
Solomon Islands Compare Compare
Somalia Compare Compare
South Africa Compare Compare
South Korea Compare Compare
South Sudan Compare Compare
Spain Compare Compare
Sri Lanka Compare Compare
Sudan Compare Compare
Suriname Compare Compare
Sweden Compare Compare
Switzerland Compare Compare
Syria Compare Compare
Taiwan Compare Compare
Tajikistan Compare Compare
Tanzania Compare Compare
Thailand Compare Compare
Togo Compare Compare
Tonga Compare Compare
Trinidad Compare Compare
Tunisia Compare Compare
Turkey Compare Compare
Turkmenistan Compare Compare
Tuvalu Compare Compare
Uganda Compare Compare
Ukraine Compare Compare
UAE Compare Compare
United Kingdom Compare Compare
United States Compare Compare
Uruguay Compare Compare
Uzbekistan Compare Compare
Vanuatu Compare Compare
Venezuela Compare Compare
Vietnam Compare Compare
Yemen Compare Compare
Zambia Compare Compare
Zimbabwe Compare Compare