Fertility & birth rates in Iran and South Africa

Fertility rate in Iran vs South Africa by year

Chart Table

Iran

South Africa

1x

Year	Fertility rate
	Iran	South Africa
2023	1.7	2.22
2022	1.7	2.23
2021	1.71	2.25
2020	1.7	2.26
2019	1.77	2.26
2018	1.92	2.27
2017	2.02	2.28
2016	2.05	2.26
2015	2.02	2.36
2014	1.98	2.42
2013	1.91	2.43
2012	1.85	2.45
2011	1.79	2.44
2010	1.75	2.44
2009	1.74	2.5
2008	1.74	2.68
2007	1.75	2.55
2006	1.76	2.55
2005	1.76	2.51
2004	1.78	2.44
2003	1.8	2.36
2002	1.84	2.32
2001	1.92	2.37
2000	2	2.41
1999	2.09	2.56
1998	2.19	2.63
1997	2.32	2.73
1996	2.54	2.99
1995	2.85	3.17
1994	3.24	3.26
1993	3.67	3.37
1992	4.1	3.48
1991	4.57	3.62
1990	4.93	3.72
1989	5.17	3.98
1988	5.43	4.18
1987	5.72	4.35
1986	6.01	4.41
1985	6.24	4.5
1984	6.43	4.57
1983	6.53	4.63
1982	6.59	4.7
1981	6.62	4.71
1980	6.63	4.78
1979	6.55	4.82
1978	6.34	4.85
1977	6.18	4.94
1976	6.07	5.07
1975	5.95	5.19
1974	5.97	5.3
1973	6.06	5.41
1972	6.26	5.49
1971	6.55	5.57
1970	6.8	5.63
1969	7.01	5.72
1968	7.12	5.78
1967	7.19	5.85
1966	7.21	5.91
1965	7.22	5.89
1964	7.24	5.96
1963	7.32	6.01
1962	7.4	6.05
1961	7.46	6.08
1960	7.52	6.11

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Iran was 1.7 children per woman in 2023, compared to 2.22 in South Africa in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Iran vs South Africa population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

Natural population change by year

Chart Table

Iran

South Africa

1x

Year	Natural population change
	Iran	South Africa
2023	750,150	602,793
2022	753,525	603,636
2021	645,725	456,411
2020	663,978	595,873
2019	893,063	652,130
2018	1,035,052	648,319
2017	1,140,549	645,975
2016	1,186,949	641,365
2015	1,178,317	668,771
2014	1,158,552	674,754
2013	1,119,533	652,427
2012	1,073,804	643,723
2011	1,023,925	601,708
2010	980,380	566,834
2009	958,322	554,115
2008	940,983	595,332
2007	919,254	503,567
2006	884,529	487,584
2005	837,305	464,464
2004	801,203	442,540
2003	732,600	415,018
2002	752,205	430,926
2001	743,658	484,801
2000	731,203	526,963
1999	723,237	594,643
1998	717,655	627,027
1997	726,574	667,969
1996	784,508	710,868
1995	879,648	743,488
1994	1,008,076	698,609
1993	1,219,658	789,220
1992	1,365,466	794,415
1991	1,495,594	827,296
1990	1,530,434	835,421
1989	1,609,739	884,629
1988	1,614,512	909,221
1987	1,639,644	922,330
1986	1,659,289	903,644
1985	1,661,750	893,889
1984	1,653,051	869,011
1983	1,573,612	837,013
1982	1,514,240	807,550
1981	1,376,830	767,833
1980	1,361,293	738,415
1979	1,294,306	716,541
1978	1,156,974	694,341
1977	1,091,542	680,929
1976	1,013,347	675,011
1975	929,481	667,862
1974	873,369	658,438
1973	831,880	651,596
1972	804,043	638,754
1971	805,830	624,761
1970	794,612	605,102
1969	780,660	590,794
1968	743,992	571,841
1967	727,276	553,741
1966	695,040	534,862
1965	663,029	506,632
1964	635,589	490,606
1963	620,126	473,821
1962	595,538	455,634
1961	594,674	437,851
1960	584,060	421,263

The chart above illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes in population resulting from births and deaths.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.83% in Iran and +0.95% in South Africa.

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change has been +1.1% in Iran and +1.05% in South Africa.

Birth rate in Iran vs South Africa by year

Chart Table

Iran

South Africa

Annual births per 1,000 people

1x

Year	Annual births per 1,000 people
	Iran	South Africa
2023	13	18.8
2022	13.3	19.1
2021	13.7	19.4
2020	14	19.5
2019	14.9	19.7
2018	16.7	19.9
2017	18	20
2016	18.8	20.3
2015	18.9	21
2014	18.8	21.8
2013	18.5	21.9
2012	18.1	22.1
2011	17.7	22.1
2010	17.3	22.2
2009	17.2	22.8
2008	17.1	24.3
2007	17	23.1
2006	16.7	23.1
2005	16.4	22.7
2004	16.2	22.1
2003	15.9	21.4
2002	15.9	20.9
2001	15.9	21.3
2000	16	21.6
1999	16.1	22.7
1998	16.2	23.2
1997	16.6	23.9
1996	17.7	24.9
1995	19.5	25.6
1994	22	24.6
1993	25.7	26.6
1992	28.3	27
1991	31.2	28.1
1990	33.5	28.7
1989	35.2	30.6
1988	37	32
1987	38.8	33.2
1986	40.7	33.6
1985	42.4	34.2
1984	43.9	34.5
1983	44.7	34.6
1982	45.2	34.8
1981	44.2	34.6
1980	45.1	34.7
1979	44.7	34.9
1978	43.4	35.1
1977	42.2	35.6
1976	41.4	36.3
1975	40.3	37
1974	40	37.7
1973	40.1	38.4
1972	40.9	38.9
1971	42.4	39.3
1970	43.6	39.4
1969	44.7	39.7
1968	45.3	39.8
1967	45.8	39.9
1966	46	40
1965	46.3	39.5
1964	46.7	39.6
1963	47.7	39.7
1962	48.8	39.7
1961	49.8	39.7
1960	51	39.8

The latest reported birth rate per 1,000 people in 2023 was 13 in Iran and 18.8 in South Africa, compared with 51 and 39.8, respectively, in 1960.

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Chart Table

Iran

Factual

UN forecast

South Africa

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Young
	Iran	South Africa
2100	12.1%	17.9%
2099	12.2%	18%
2098	12.2%	18%
2097	12.3%	18.1%
2096	12.3%	18.1%
2095	12.4%	18.2%
2094	12.5%	18.2%
2093	12.6%	18.3%
2092	12.6%	18.3%
2091	12.7%	18.4%
2090	12.8%	18.4%
2089	12.8%	18.5%
2088	12.9%	18.5%
2087	12.9%	18.6%
2086	12.9%	18.6%
2085	13%	18.7%
2084	13%	18.7%
2083	12.9%	18.8%
2082	12.9%	18.9%
2081	12.9%	18.9%
2080	12.9%	19%
2079	12.8%	19%
2078	12.8%	19.1%
2077	12.8%	19.2%
2076	12.7%	19.3%
2075	12.7%	19.3%
2074	12.7%	19.4%
2073	12.7%	19.5%
2072	12.7%	19.6%
2071	12.7%	19.6%
2070	12.7%	19.7%
2069	12.8%	19.8%
2068	12.9%	19.9%
2067	13%	20%
2066	13.1%	20.1%
2065	13.2%	20.2%
2064	13.3%	20.3%
2063	13.5%	20.4%
2062	13.6%	20.5%
2061	13.8%	20.6%
2060	14%	20.7%
2059	14.1%	20.8%
2058	14.3%	20.9%
2057	14.4%	21%
2056	14.6%	21.1%
2055	14.7%	21.1%
2054	14.8%	21.2%
2053	14.9%	21.3%
2052	15%	21.4%
2051	15.1%	21.5%
2050	15.1%	21.6%
2049	15.2%	21.7%
2048	15.2%	21.8%
2047	15.2%	21.9%
2046	15.2%	22%
2045	15.3%	22.1%
2044	15.3%	22.3%
2043	15.4%	22.4%
2042	15.4%	22.6%
2041	15.5%	22.8%
2040	15.7%	23%
2039	15.8%	23.3%
2038	16%	23.5%
2037	16.3%	23.7%
2036	16.5%	24.1%
2035	16.8%	24.4%
2034	17.2%	24.7%
2033	17.7%	24.9%
2032	18.3%	25%
2031	19%	25.1%
2030	19.6%	25.2%
2029	20.2%	25.3%
2028	20.8%	25.4%
2027	21.3%	25.5%
2026	21.8%	25.6%
2025	22.2%	25.8%
2024	22.4%	25.9%
2023	22.8%	26.1%
2022	23.2%	26.3%
2021	23.6%	26.6%
2020	23.8%	27%
2019	23.9%	27.4%
2018	24%	27.9%
2017	23.9%	28.3%
2016	23.8%	28.3%
2015	23.6%	28.3%
2014	23.4%	28.5%
2013	23.3%	28.7%
2012	23.3%	28.9%
2011	23.3%	29.1%
2010	23.4%	29.4%
2009	23.7%	29.7%
2008	24%	29.9%
2007	24.6%	30.2%
2006	25.3%	30.6%
2005	26.2%	31.1%
2004	27.4%	31.6%
2003	28.7%	32.3%
2002	30.1%	33.2%
2001	31.7%	34%
2000	33.6%	34.9%
1999	35.4%	35.7%
1998	37.3%	36.5%
1997	39.1%	37.2%
1996	40.7%	37.5%
1995	42.1%	37.5%
1994	43.2%	37.2%
1993	43.6%	37.3%
1992	43.6%	37.6%
1991	43.9%	37.5%
1990	44.1%	37.7%
1989	44.2%	38.1%
1988	44%	38.4%
1987	43.9%	38.7%
1986	43.7%	38.9%
1985	43.5%	39.2%
1984	43.3%	39.5%
1983	43%	39.8%
1982	42.7%	40.1%
1981	42.9%	40.5%
1980	43.3%	40.9%
1979	43.1%	41.3%
1978	43%	41.5%
1977	42.9%	41.7%
1976	43%	41.8%
1975	43.2%	41.9%
1974	43.5%	42%
1973	43.8%	42.1%
1972	44.2%	42.2%
1971	44.4%	42.2%
1970	44.6%	42.3%
1969	44.7%	42.2%
1968	44.8%	42.2%
1967	44.8%	42.2%
1966	44.9%	42.1%
1965	45%	42.1%
1964	45%	42.1%
1963	44.9%	42.1%
1962	44.6%	42.1%
1961	44.1%	42.1%
1960	43.5%	42.1%

Children aged 0-14 make up 22.4% of the population in Iran and 25.9% in South Africa in 2024, compared to 44.1% and 37.7% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Iran and South Africa compared.

Maternal mortality chart: Iran vs South Africa

Chart Table

Iran

South Africa

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	Iran	South Africa
2023	16	118
2022	21	129
2021	51	191
2020	34	118
2019	18	119
2018	19	128
2017	20	134
2016	21	141
2015	22	150
2014	23	162
2013	24	180
2012	25	194
2011	26	202
2010	27	226
2009	28	241
2008	30	272
2007	31	272
2006	32	283
2005	33	279
2004	34	259
2003	37	245
2002	38	225
2001	40	192
2000	43	175
1999	46	151
1998	50	152
1997	55	152
1996	59	150
1995	65	125
1994	71	133
1993	80	145
1992	86	152
1991	94	162
1990	107	170
1989	113	177
1988	126	184
1987	136	192
1986	148	200
1985	160	208

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 16 deaths per 100,000 live births in Iran, compared to 118 deaths in South Africa.

Under-five mortality rates

Chart Table

Iran

South Africa

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	Iran	South Africa
2023	1.18%	3.47%
2022	1.22%	3.44%
2021	1.26%	3.41%
2020	1.3%	3.41%
2019	1.35%	3.45%
2018	1.39%	3.49%
2017	1.45%	3.58%
2016	1.5%	3.68%
2015	1.55%	3.82%
2014	1.61%	3.96%
2013	1.68%	4.1%
2012	1.75%	4.25%
2011	1.84%	4.5%
2010	1.93%	5%
2009	2.04%	5.7%
2008	2.17%	6.42%
2007	2.32%	7.19%
2006	2.48%	7.75%
2005	2.65%	8.03%
2004	2.83%	8.1%
2003	3.02%	7.93%
2002	3.22%	7.69%
2001	3.42%	7.43%
2000	3.63%	7.11%
1999	3.83%	6.85%
1998	4.02%	6.56%
1997	4.21%	6.29%
1996	4.4%	6.11%
1995	4.59%	5.95%
1994	4.79%	5.82%
1993	5%	5.7%
1992	5.22%	5.66%
1991	5.48%	5.7%
1990	5.76%	5.82%
1989	6.07%	6.01%
1988	6.42%	6.26%
1987	6.8%	6.56%
1986	7.2%	6.89%
1985	7.64%	7.24%
1984	8.13%	7.6%
1983	8.67%	7.98%
1982	9.3%	8.39%
1981	10%	8.84%
1980	10.8%	9.35%
1979	11.7%	9.88%
1978	12.6%	10.5%
1977	13.5%	11.1%
1976	14.4%	11.8%
1975	15.3%	12.5%
1974	16.2%	13.2%
1973	17.1%	-
1972	18%	-
1971	18.9%	-

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 1.18% in Iran and 3.47% in South Africa. Above is a chart with historical data on under-five mortality rates.