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Fertility & birth rates in Iceland and Rwanda

Updated on by Georank team

Iceland has an annual birth rate of 11 births per 1,000 people, compared to 28.3 for Rwanda. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.59 in Iceland and 3.7 in Rwanda — 132.6% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -62.9% in Iceland and by -55.4% in Rwanda — in 1960, it was 4.29 and 8.28, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Iceland is ranked 132/196 by birth rate compared to 38/196 for Rwanda.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 28.8 years in Iceland, compared to 23 years in Rwanda.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31 in Iceland — it's 30.6 in Rwanda.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 3.37 in Iceland vs 30.8 in Rwanda.
  • In Iceland, 23.7% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.2% in Rwanda.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.44% in Iceland and +2.24% in Rwanda.

Birth rate data compared

Iceland Rwanda
Fertility rate 1.59 3.7
Birth rate 11 28.3
Birth rate rank 132/196 38/196
Age at first childbirth 28.8 years 23 years
Average age at childbearing 31 years 30.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 2.82 30.2
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 68.4 155.6
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 20.4 66.4
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 58.4%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 97.4% 94.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.003% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.13% 1.81%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.19% 3.05%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.26% 4%
Population change due to births and deaths +1,730 +312,762
Natural population change rank 138/196 51/196
Natural population change rate +0.44% +2.24%
Population growth +2.86% +2.16%
Population growth rank 21/197 47/197
Life expectancy 83.2 years 68.2 years

Fertility rate in Iceland vs Rwanda 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 3.7 in Rwanda in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Iceland Rwanda
1960 4.29 8.28
1961 3.88 8.28
1962 3.98 8.27
1963 3.99 8.27
1964 3.88 8.27
1965 3.73 8.25
1966 3.59 8.23
1967 3.28 8.21
1968 3.06 8.19
1969 2.99 8.18
1970 2.81 8.15
1971 2.92 8.09
1972 3.09 8.09
1973 2.94 8.09
1974 2.66 8.1
1975 2.65 8.1
1976 2.52 8.12
1977 2.31 8.14
1978 2.35 8.16
1979 2.49 8.13
1980 2.48 8.12
1981 2.33 8.1
1982 2.27 8.06
1983 2.24 8
1984 2.08 7.91
1985 1.93 7.79
1986 1.92 7.61
1987 2.06 7.43
1988 2.26 7.23
1989 2.19 7.03
1990 2.3 6.8
1991 2.18 6.62
1992 2.21 6.54
1993 2.22 6.48
1994 2.14 6.42
1995 2.08 6.35
1996 2.12 6.29
1997 2.04 6.24
1998 2.05 6.17
1999 1.99 6.06
2000 2.08 5.97
2001 1.95 5.89
2002 1.93 5.82
2003 1.99 5.74
2004 2.04 5.64
2005 2.05 5.5
2006 2.08 5.34
2007 2.09 5.14
2008 2.15 4.92
2009 2.23 4.71
2010 2.2 4.52
2011 2.02 4.33
2012 2.04 4.2
2013 1.93 4.14
2014 1.93 4.12
2015 1.8 4.11
2016 1.74 4.11
2017 1.71 4.08
2018 1.71 4.05
2019 1.74 3.99
2020 1.72 3.91
2021 1.82 3.84
2022 1.59 3.78
2023 1.59 3.7
2024 1.57 3.64
2025 1.55 3.59
2026 1.54 3.54
2027 1.53 3.49
2028 1.53 3.43
2029 1.53 3.38
2030 1.52 3.33
2031 1.52 3.28
2032 1.52 3.24
2033 1.53 3.19
2034 1.53 3.15
2035 1.53 3.11
2036 1.53 3.07
2037 1.53 3.03
2038 1.53 2.99
2039 1.54 2.95
2040 1.54 2.92
2041 1.54 2.89
2042 1.54 2.85
2043 1.54 2.81
2044 1.54 2.78
2045 1.54 2.75
2046 1.55 2.72
2047 1.55 2.69
2048 1.55 2.67
2049 1.55 2.64
2050 1.56 2.61

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Iceland
Factual

UN forecast
Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Iceland Rwanda
1960 34.9% 49.2%
1961 35% 49.7%
1962 34.9% 50.2%
1963 34.9% 50.6%
1964 34.7% 50.8%
1965 34.5% 50.6%
1966 34.3% 50.2%
1967 34% 49.7%
1968 33.6% 49.2%
1969 33.2% 48.7%
1970 32.6% 48.2%
1971 32.1% 47.9%
1972 31.6% 47.5%
1973 31.2% 47.2%
1974 30.7% 46.9%
1975 30.1% 46.6%
1976 29.5% 46.4%
1977 29% 46.4%
1978 28.4% 46.4%
1979 27.9% 46.5%
1980 27.5% 46.8%
1981 27.2% 47.1%
1982 26.9% 47.4%
1983 26.7% 47.7%
1984 26.5% 48.1%
1985 26.2% 48.3%
1986 25.9% 48.6%
1987 25.6% 48.8%
1988 25.2% 48.9%
1989 25% 48.9%
1990 25% 49%
1991 24.8% 48.9%
1992 24.8% 48.7%
1993 24.8% 48.4%
1994 24.7% 50.1%
1995 24.4% 52.4%
1996 24.1% 51.4%
1997 23.9% 50.5%
1998 23.6% 49.2%
1999 23.4% 47.8%
2000 23.3% 46.4%
2001 23.2% 45.2%
2002 23% 44.3%
2003 22.8% 43.7%
2004 22.5% 43.3%
2005 22.1% 43.1%
2006 21.5% 42.9%
2007 21.1% 42.9%
2008 20.9% 42.8%
2009 20.9% 42.6%
2010 20.9% 42.4%
2011 20.8% 42.2%
2012 20.7% 41.9%
2013 20.6% 41.7%
2014 20.4% 41.4%
2015 20.2% 41.1%
2016 19.9% 40.9%
2017 19.6% 40.5%
2018 19.2% 40.1%
2019 18.9% 39.7%
2020 18.7% 39.2%
2021 18.6% 38.6%
2022 18.4% 38.2%
2023 18.1% 37.7%
2024 17.8% 37.4%
2025 17.5% 37%
2026 17.3% 36.7%
2027 17.1% 36.4%
2028 17% 36%
2029 16.8% 35.7%
2030 16.7% 35.4%
2031 16.6% 35%
2032 16.5% 34.7%
2033 16.3% 34.4%
2034 16.1% 34.1%
2035 15.9% 33.7%
2036 15.6% 33.4%
2037 15.4% 33.1%
2038 15.2% 32.9%
2039 15% 32.6%
2040 14.8% 32.3%
2041 14.7% 32%
2042 14.5% 31.7%
2043 14.4% 31.4%
2044 14.2% 31.1%
2045 14.1% 30.8%
2046 14% 30.5%
2047 13.9% 30.2%
2048 13.8% 29.9%
2049 13.7% 29.7%
2050 13.6% 29.4%

Children aged 0-14 make up 17.8% of the population in Iceland and 37.4% in Rwanda in 2024, compared to 25% and 49% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Iceland and Rwanda compared.

Natural population change in Iceland vs Rwanda by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.57% in Iceland and +2.45% in Rwanda. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Iceland
Rwanda

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Iceland Rwanda
1960 3,758 100,627
1961 3,312 102,051
1962 3,465 102,548
1963 3,490 94,296
1964 3,459 102,562
1965 3,442 103,422
1966 3,305 105,128
1967 3,021 108,053
1968 2,841 111,422
1969 2,766 115,394
1970 2,576 119,273
1971 2,782 122,567
1972 3,241 126,403
1973 3,121 131,021
1974 2,776 135,743
1975 2,965 140,596
1976 2,951 147,665
1977 2,551 155,011
1978 2,727 163,779
1979 2,980 174,477
1980 2,966 184,988
1981 2,677 195,769
1982 2,736 205,147
1983 2,702 212,750
1984 2,539 219,337
1985 2,221 223,794
1986 2,384 225,526
1987 2,360 225,744
1988 2,847 223,759
1989 2,832 217,632
1990 3,058 207,895
1991 2,733 196,431
1992 2,898 188,025
1993 2,875 183,926
1994 2,713 -719,479
1995 2,354 121,137
1996 2,447 140,455
1997 2,305 174,687
1998 2,357 197,185
1999 2,192 210,518
2000 2,475 221,276
2001 2,365 230,845
2002 2,243 239,036
2003 2,317 251,243
2004 2,425 265,273
2005 2,433 275,121
2006 2,491 282,149
2007 2,617 285,791
2008 2,825 287,334
2009 3,026 287,034
2010 2,862 286,848
2011 2,521 282,922
2012 2,566 282,584
2013 2,169 286,331
2014 2,324 292,779
2015 1,952 299,114
2016 1,711 305,549
2017 1,854 310,323
2018 1,975 312,512
2019 2,163 313,525
2020 2,199 312,692
2021 2,534 309,895
2022 1,719 312,145
2023 1,730 312,762

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Iceland vs Rwanda

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 229 deaths in Rwanda.

Iceland
Rwanda
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Iceland Rwanda
1985 11 1,116
1986 15 1,126
1987 13 1,145
1988 11 1,188
1989 14 1,238
1990 13 1,309
1991 11 1,386
1992 12 1,530
1993 10 1,619
1994 9 5,721
1995 13 1,505
1996 7 1,295
1997 8 1,318
1998 8 1,268
1999 7 1,073
2000 7 885
2001 6 769
2002 7 677
2003 6 551
2004 6 460
2005 5 465
2006 5 494
2007 5 494
2008 4 454
2009 5 418
2010 5 393
2011 4 358
2012 4 331
2013 4 317
2014 4 301
2015 4 292
2016 3 278
2017 3 275
2018 4 269
2019 4 261
2020 12 252
2021 5 254
2022 5 234
2023 3 229

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.26% in Iceland and 4% in Rwanda. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Iceland
Rwanda

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 Rwanda
1960 2.14% 22.4%
1961 2.11% 21.9%
1962 2.07% 21.5%
1963 2.02% 21.3%
1964 1.97% 21.1%
1965 1.92% 21.1%
1966 1.85% 21.2%
1967 1.79% 21.4%
1968 1.72% 21.7%
1969 1.66% 22%
1970 1.6% 22.3%
1971 1.54% 22.6%
1972 1.48% 23%
1973 1.41% 23.4%
1974 1.35% 24%
1975 1.29% 24.6%
1976 1.22% 25.1%
1977 1.15% 25.1%
1978 1.09% 24.6%
1979 1.03% 23.4%
1980 0.97% 21.8%
1981 0.92% 20.1%
1982 0.87% 18.6%
1983 0.83% 17.4%
1984 0.79% 16.6%
1985 0.75% 16.1%
1986 0.73% 15.6%
1987 0.7% 15.2%
1988 0.67% 14.8%
1989 0.65% 14.8%
1990 0.63% 15.1%
1991 0.61% 16%
1992 0.58% 17.5%
1993 0.56% 19.3%
1994 0.54% 38.9%
1995 0.52% 21.8%
1996 0.49% 22.2%
1997 0.47% 22.2%
1998 0.45% 21.5%
1999 0.42% 20.2%
2000 0.4% 18.5%
2001 0.38% 16.7%
2002 0.36% 14.9%
2003 0.34% 13.3%
2004 0.33% 11.8%
2005 0.31% 10.5%
2006 0.3% 9.37%
2007 0.29% 8.45%
2008 0.28% 7.62%
2009 0.27% 6.92%
2010 0.27% 6.33%
2011 0.27% 5.81%
2012 0.26% 5.45%
2013 0.26% 5.17%
2014 0.26% 4.96%
2015 0.26% 4.78%
2016 0.26% 4.63%
2017 0.26% 4.52%
2018 0.27% 4.43%
2019 0.27% 4.34%
2020 0.27% 4.25%
2021 0.27% 4.16%
2022 0.26% 4.08%
2023 0.26% 4%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Iceland vs Rwanda
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