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Fertility & birth rates in Iceland and Malawi

Updated on by Georank team

Iceland has an annual birth rate of 11 births per 1,000 people, compared to 31.4 for Malawi. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.59 in Iceland and 3.65 in Malawi — 129.4% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -62.9% in Iceland and by -48.2% in Malawi — in 1960, it was 4.29 and 7.04, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Iceland is ranked 132/196 by birth rate compared to 25/196 for Malawi.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 28.8 years in Iceland, compared to 19.1 years in Malawi.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31 in Iceland — it's 27.6 in Malawi.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.37 in Iceland vs 113.6 in Malawi.
  • In Iceland, 23.7% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.2% in Malawi.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.44% in Iceland and +2.6% in Malawi.

Birth rate data compared

Iceland Malawi
Fertility rate 1.59 3.65
Birth rate 11 31.4
Birth rate rank 132/196 25/196
Age at first childbirth 28.8 years 19.1 years
Average age at childbearing 31 years 27.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 2.82 112.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 68.4 171.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 20.4 51.6
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 23.7% 26.2%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 n/a 64.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 97.4% 96.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.003% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.13% 1.88%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.19% 2.94%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.26% 3.83%
Population change due to births and deaths +1,730 +549,096
Natural population change rank 138/196 35/196
Natural population change rate +0.44% +2.6%
Population growth +2.86% +2.61%
Population growth rank 21/197 27/197
Life expectancy 83.2 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Iceland vs Malawi chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Iceland was 1.59 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.65 in Malawi in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Iceland vs Malawi population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Iceland Malawi
1960 4.29 7.04
1961 3.88 7.07
1962 3.98 7.1
1963 3.99 7.13
1964 3.88 7.11
1965 3.73 7.13
1966 3.59 7.17
1967 3.28 7.21
1968 3.06 7.26
1969 2.99 7.27
1970 2.81 7.3
1971 2.92 7.31
1972 3.09 7.33
1973 2.94 7.34
1974 2.66 7.34
1975 2.65 7.36
1976 2.52 7.39
1977 2.31 7.41
1978 2.35 7.43
1979 2.49 7.47
1980 2.48 7.52
1981 2.33 7.49
1982 2.27 7.45
1983 2.24 7.36
1984 2.08 7.27
1985 1.93 7.17
1986 1.92 7.07
1987 2.06 6.97
1988 2.26 6.88
1989 2.19 6.8
1990 2.3 6.74
1991 2.18 6.68
1992 2.21 6.63
1993 2.22 6.57
1994 2.14 6.49
1995 2.08 6.39
1996 2.12 6.29
1997 2.04 6.23
1998 2.05 6.21
1999 1.99 6.12
2000 2.08 6
2001 1.95 5.94
2002 1.93 5.9
2003 1.99 5.88
2004 2.04 5.86
2005 2.05 5.85
2006 2.08 5.8
2007 2.09 5.72
2008 2.15 5.61
2009 2.23 5.45
2010 2.2 5.26
2011 2.02 5.08
2012 2.04 4.9
2013 1.93 4.76
2014 1.93 4.57
2015 1.8 4.38
2016 1.74 4.22
2017 1.71 4.11
2018 1.71 4.02
2019 1.74 3.95
2020 1.72 3.88
2021 1.82 3.79
2022 1.59 3.72
2023 1.59 3.65
2024 1.57 3.59
2025 1.55 3.53
2026 1.54 3.45
2027 1.53 3.39
2028 1.53 3.33
2029 1.53 3.29
2030 1.52 3.23
2031 1.52 3.18
2032 1.52 3.13
2033 1.53 3.09
2034 1.53 3.05
2035 1.53 3.01
2036 1.53 2.97
2037 1.53 2.93
2038 1.53 2.89
2039 1.54 2.86
2040 1.54 2.82
2041 1.54 2.79
2042 1.54 2.76
2043 1.54 2.73
2044 1.54 2.7
2045 1.54 2.67
2046 1.55 2.64
2047 1.55 2.61
2048 1.55 2.59
2049 1.55 2.57
2050 1.56 2.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Iceland Malawi
1960 34.9% 43.1%
1961 35% 42.9%
1962 34.9% 42.8%
1963 34.9% 42.9%
1964 34.7% 43%
1965 34.5% 43.2%
1966 34.3% 43.4%
1967 34% 43.7%
1968 33.6% 43.9%
1969 33.2% 44.2%
1970 32.6% 44.4%
1971 32.1% 44.6%
1972 31.6% 44.8%
1973 31.2% 44.9%
1974 30.7% 45.1%
1975 30.1% 45.2%
1976 29.5% 45.2%
1977 29% 45.3%
1978 28.4% 45.3%
1979 27.9% 45.3%
1980 27.5% 45.4%
1981 27.2% 45.4%
1982 26.9% 45.4%
1983 26.7% 45.5%
1984 26.5% 45.5%
1985 26.2% 45.4%
1986 25.9% 45.4%
1987 25.6% 45.1%
1988 25.2% 45%
1989 25% 45.2%
1990 25% 45.4%
1991 24.8% 45.6%
1992 24.8% 45.8%
1993 24.8% 46%
1994 24.7% 46.1%
1995 24.4% 46.1%
1996 24.1% 46.2%
1997 23.9% 46.2%
1998 23.6% 46.2%
1999 23.4% 46.2%
2000 23.3% 46.2%
2001 23.2% 46.1%
2002 23% 46.1%
2003 22.8% 46.1%
2004 22.5% 46%
2005 22.1% 46%
2006 21.5% 46.1%
2007 21.1% 46.1%
2008 20.9% 46.1%
2009 20.9% 46.2%
2010 20.9% 46.2%
2011 20.8% 46.2%
2012 20.7% 46.1%
2013 20.6% 46%
2014 20.4% 45.7%
2015 20.2% 45.4%
2016 19.9% 45.1%
2017 19.6% 44.6%
2018 19.2% 44.2%
2019 18.9% 43.7%
2020 18.7% 43.1%
2021 18.6% 42.5%
2022 18.4% 41.9%
2023 18.1% 41.3%
2024 17.8% 40.7%
2025 17.5% 40.1%
2026 17.3% 39.6%
2027 17.1% 39.1%
2028 17% 38.6%
2029 16.8% 38.1%
2030 16.7% 37.7%
2031 16.6% 37.4%
2032 16.5% 37%
2033 16.3% 36.7%
2034 16.1% 36.4%
2035 15.9% 36%
2036 15.6% 35.7%
2037 15.4% 35.3%
2038 15.2% 35%
2039 15% 34.6%
2040 14.8% 34.2%
2041 14.7% 33.9%
2042 14.5% 33.5%
2043 14.4% 33.1%
2044 14.2% 32.7%
2045 14.1% 32.3%
2046 14% 31.9%
2047 13.9% 31.5%
2048 13.8% 31.2%
2049 13.7% 30.8%
2050 13.6% 30.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 17.8% of the population in Iceland and 40.7% in Malawi in 2024, compared to 25% and 45.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Iceland and Malawi compared.

Natural population change in Iceland vs Malawi by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.57% in Iceland and +2.67% in Malawi. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Iceland
Malawi

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Iceland Malawi
1960 3,758 85,718
1961 3,312 89,091
1962 3,465 92,463
1963 3,490 95,933
1964 3,459 97,658
1965 3,442 100,040
1966 3,305 103,512
1967 3,021 106,668
1968 2,841 110,329
1969 2,766 113,120
1970 2,576 116,822
1971 2,782 121,015
1972 3,241 125,728
1973 3,121 131,529
1974 2,776 137,819
1975 2,965 145,254
1976 2,951 153,422
1977 2,551 161,930
1978 2,727 172,503
1979 2,980 182,123
1980 2,966 192,746
1981 2,677 199,436
1982 2,736 205,386
1983 2,702 209,422
1984 2,539 212,146
1985 2,221 216,179
1986 2,384 218,519
1987 2,360 220,566
1988 2,847 226,911
1989 2,832 237,967
1990 3,058 250,159
1991 2,733 260,193
1992 2,898 269,066
1993 2,875 276,538
1994 2,713 275,439
1995 2,354 266,745
1996 2,447 270,048
1997 2,305 277,433
1998 2,357 285,407
1999 2,192 295,629
2000 2,475 300,439
2001 2,365 310,833
2002 2,243 322,863
2003 2,317 341,133
2004 2,425 361,133
2005 2,433 381,130
2006 2,491 397,123
2007 2,617 410,290
2008 2,825 421,781
2009 3,026 434,811
2010 2,862 444,468
2011 2,521 454,149
2012 2,566 460,684
2013 2,169 470,293
2014 2,324 472,418
2015 1,952 472,484
2016 1,711 474,779
2017 1,854 484,655
2018 1,975 494,348
2019 2,163 506,104
2020 2,199 514,659
2021 2,534 517,400
2022 1,719 533,450
2023 1,730 549,096

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Iceland vs Malawi

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 3 deaths per 100,000 live births in Iceland, compared to 225 deaths in Malawi.

Iceland
Malawi
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Iceland Malawi
1985 11 1,115
1986 15 1,118
1987 13 1,123
1988 11 1,154
1989 14 1,136
1990 13 1,112
1991 11 1,080
1992 12 1,042
1993 10 1,000
1994 9 912
1995 13 782
1996 7 713
1997 8 672
1998 8 658
1999 7 576
2000 7 506
2001 6 447
2002 7 404
2003 6 346
2004 6 304
2005 5 283
2006 5 286
2007 5 333
2008 4 430
2009 5 512
2010 5 517
2011 4 486
2012 4 447
2013 4 410
2014 4 367
2015 4 354
2016 3 312
2017 3 284
2018 4 267
2019 4 260
2020 12 256
2021 5 286
2022 5 239
2023 3 225

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.26% in Iceland and 3.83% in Malawi. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Iceland
Malawi

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
Iceland Malawi
1960 2.14% -
1961 2.11% 35.9%
1962 2.07% 35.8%
1963 2.02% 35.7%
1964 1.97% 35.5%
1965 1.92% 35.4%
1966 1.85% 35.3%
1967 1.79% 35.1%
1968 1.72% 35%
1969 1.66% 34.7%
1970 1.6% 34.4%
1971 1.54% 33.9%
1972 1.48% 33.2%
1973 1.41% 32.4%
1974 1.35% 31.5%
1975 1.29% 30.6%
1976 1.22% 29.7%
1977 1.15% 28.7%
1978 1.09% 27.6%
1979 1.03% 26.5%
1980 0.97% 25.6%
1981 0.92% 24.9%
1982 0.87% 24.5%
1983 0.83% 24.5%
1984 0.79% 24.8%
1985 0.75% 25.1%
1986 0.73% 25.4%
1987 0.7% 25.5%
1988 0.67% 25.3%
1989 0.65% 24.9%
1990 0.63% 24.3%
1991 0.61% 23.6%
1992 0.58% 22.8%
1993 0.56% 22%
1994 0.54% 21.3%
1995 0.52% 20.7%
1996 0.49% 20.2%
1997 0.47% 19.7%
1998 0.45% 19.2%
1999 0.42% 18.4%
2000 0.4% 17.3%
2001 0.38% 16%
2002 0.36% 14.6%
2003 0.34% 13.2%
2004 0.33% 11.9%
2005 0.31% 11%
2006 0.3% 10.3%
2007 0.29% 9.83%
2008 0.28% 9.31%
2009 0.27% 8.81%
2010 0.27% 8.3%
2011 0.27% 7.67%
2012 0.26% 6.98%
2013 0.26% 6.4%
2014 0.26% 6.02%
2015 0.26% 5.67%
2016 0.26% 5.35%
2017 0.26% 5.06%
2018 0.27% 4.75%
2019 0.27% 4.55%
2020 0.27% 4.31%
2021 0.27% 4.15%
2022 0.26% 3.99%
2023 0.26% 3.83%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Iceland vs Malawi
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