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Fertility & birth rates in Iraq and Kuwait

Updated on by Georank team

Iraq has an annual birth rate of 25.7 births per 1,000 people, compared to 10.3 for Kuwait. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.25 in Iraq and 1.52 in Kuwait — 53.1% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -38.7% in Iraq and by -78.9% in Kuwait — in 1960, it was 5.3 and 7.22, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Iraq is ranked 51/196 by birth rate compared to 141/196 for Kuwait.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.6 in Iraq — it's 30.4 in Kuwait.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 58 in Iraq vs 1.58 in Kuwait.
  • In Iraq, 25.3% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 23.4% in Kuwait.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.16% in Iraq and +0.88% in Kuwait.

Birth rate data compared

Iraq Kuwait
Fertility rate 3.25 1.52
Birth rate 25.7 10.3
Birth rate rank 51/196 141/196
Average age at childbearing 28.6 years 30.4 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 56.2 1.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 162.2 76.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 45.1 25.2
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 25.3% 23.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 36.1% 39.3%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 95.6% 99.9%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.07% 0.008%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 1.29% 0.48%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 2.08% 0.76%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 2.26% 0.88%
Population change due to births and deaths +973,420 +42,568
Natural population change rank 20/196 100/196
Natural population change rate +2.16% +0.88%
Population growth +2.15% +2.48%
Population growth rank 48/197 29/197
Life expectancy 72.5 years 80.8 years

Fertility rate in Iraq vs Kuwait chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Iraq was 3.25 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.52 in Kuwait in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Iraq vs Kuwait population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Iraq
Factual

UN forecast
Kuwait
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Iraq Kuwait
1960 5.3 7.22
1961 5.8 7.25
1962 6.99 7.25
1963 7.01 7.28
1964 7.01 7.29
1965 7.02 7.31
1966 7.02 7.34
1967 7.03 7.33
1968 7.06 7.28
1969 7.08 7.18
1970 7.07 7.03
1971 7.06 6.84
1972 7.02 6.64
1973 6.99 6.43
1974 6.95 6.23
1975 6.91 6.06
1976 6.86 5.9
1977 6.8 5.71
1978 6.73 5.52
1979 6.66 5.33
1980 6.59 5.18
1981 6.53 5.02
1982 6.46 4.85
1983 6.39 4.66
1984 6.32 4.45
1985 6.25 4.22
1986 6.18 4
1987 6.11 3.83
1988 6.05 3.7
1989 5.99 3.59
1990 5.93 3.49
1991 5.83 3.4
1992 5.72 3.35
1993 5.61 3.31
1994 5.49 3.27
1995 5.36 3.25
1996 5.25 3.22
1997 5.19 3.14
1998 5.11 3.04
1999 5.04 2.95
2000 4.92 2.89
2001 4.8 2.84
2002 4.67 2.8
2003 4.58 2.77
2004 4.53 2.76
2005 4.45 2.73
2006 4.46 2.59
2007 4.4 2.41
2008 4.37 2.27
2009 4.38 2.15
2010 4.46 2.04
2011 4.59 1.96
2012 4.54 1.99
2013 4.44 1.97
2014 4.31 2.06
2015 4.08 2.03
2016 3.84 2.06
2017 3.64 2.16
2018 3.55 2.12
2019 3.48 2.08
2020 3.42 2.03
2021 3.36 2.15
2022 3.29 1.55
2023 3.25 1.52
2024 3.22 1.51
2025 3.17 1.5
2026 3.13 1.49
2027 3.09 1.48
2028 3.05 1.48
2029 3.01 1.48
2030 2.97 1.48
2031 2.94 1.48
2032 2.89 1.48
2033 2.86 1.48
2034 2.83 1.48
2035 2.79 1.48
2036 2.77 1.48
2037 2.74 1.48
2038 2.71 1.48
2039 2.69 1.48
2040 2.66 1.48
2041 2.64 1.49
2042 2.61 1.49
2043 2.59 1.49
2044 2.57 1.5
2045 2.54 1.5
2046 2.52 1.5
2047 2.5 1.5
2048 2.48 1.5
2049 2.47 1.5
2050 2.45 1.5

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Iraq
Factual

UN forecast
Kuwait
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Iraq Kuwait
1960 39.8% 37.4%
1961 39.9% 37.8%
1962 40.4% 38.3%
1963 41% 39%
1964 41.5% 39.5%
1965 42.1% 40%
1966 42.5% 40.7%
1967 42.8% 41.5%
1968 43% 42.3%
1969 43.3% 43%
1970 43.6% 43.6%
1971 44.1% 43.9%
1972 44.7% 43.8%
1973 45.5% 43.6%
1974 46.2% 43.3%
1975 46.7% 43%
1976 47.2% 42.3%
1977 47.3% 41.4%
1978 47.1% 40.6%
1979 47% 39.9%
1980 46.8% 39.3%
1981 46.7% 38.8%
1982 46.6% 38.1%
1983 46.5% 37.5%
1984 46.3% 37.1%
1985 46.2% 36.8%
1986 46% 36.6%
1987 45.8% 36.7%
1988 45.6% 36.6%
1989 45.4% 36.5%
1990 45.2% 36%
1991 45% 35.1%
1992 44.9% 34.6%
1993 44.7% 33.8%
1994 44.6% 33.4%
1995 44.4% 33.4%
1996 44.3% 33%
1997 44.1% 32.3%
1998 44% 31.4%
1999 43.8% 30.4%
2000 43.7% 29.4%
2001 43.5% 28.3%
2002 43.3% 27.4%
2003 43.1% 26.4%
2004 42.9% 25.6%
2005 42.6% 24.9%
2006 42.3% 24.5%
2007 42.1% 24.1%
2008 41.8% 23.7%
2009 41.5% 23.3%
2010 41.2% 23%
2011 41.1% 22.5%
2012 41% 22.1%
2013 40.8% 22%
2014 40.6% 21.9%
2015 40.4% 21.8%
2016 40.1% 21.6%
2017 39.7% 21.4%
2018 39.3% 21.1%
2019 38.9% 20.8%
2020 38.5% 20.6%
2021 38.1% 20.1%
2022 37.6% 19.2%
2023 37.1% 18.6%
2024 36.6% 18.2%
2025 36% 18%
2026 35.4% 17.8%
2027 34.7% 17.6%
2028 34.1% 17.4%
2029 33.4% 17.3%
2030 32.9% 17.2%
2031 32.5% 17.1%
2032 32.1% 17.1%
2033 31.8% 17.1%
2034 31.6% 17.1%
2035 31.3% 17.2%
2036 31.1% 17.3%
2037 30.9% 17.3%
2038 30.6% 17.4%
2039 30.4% 17.4%
2040 30.1% 17.5%
2041 29.9% 17.5%
2042 29.7% 17.6%
2043 29.4% 17.6%
2044 29.1% 17.7%
2045 28.8% 17.7%
2046 28.6% 17.7%
2047 28.3% 17.7%
2048 28% 17.7%
2049 27.7% 17.7%
2050 27.4% 17.7%

Children aged 0-14 make up 36.6% of the population in Iraq and 18.2% in Kuwait in 2024, compared to 45.2% and 36% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Iraq and Kuwait compared.

Natural population change in Iraq vs Kuwait by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.37% in Iraq and +1.12% in Kuwait. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Iraq
Kuwait

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Iraq Kuwait
1960 155,651 11,054
1961 184,792 12,327
1962 247,520 13,730
1963 254,046 15,357
1964 262,825 17,064
1965 274,551 18,952
1966 285,507 20,914
1967 298,192 23,520
1968 310,644 26,161
1969 324,792 28,774
1970 338,030 30,789
1971 351,464 32,339
1972 362,334 34,045
1973 373,191 35,741
1974 376,197 37,425
1975 385,916 39,295
1976 402,260 41,439
1977 410,229 42,922
1978 418,756 44,277
1979 428,458 45,569
1980 419,653 47,096
1981 416,998 48,098
1982 428,336 49,981
1983 439,800 51,460
1984 455,740 52,539
1985 467,445 51,772
1986 474,348 51,824
1987 488,742 50,690
1988 476,778 50,037
1989 496,852 49,390
1990 518,575 46,720
1991 550,146 21,867
1992 591,886 32,016
1993 606,700 33,239
1994 634,344 36,533
1995 642,977 39,198
1996 652,866 39,920
1997 667,582 39,581
1998 684,152 39,324
1999 702,170 39,342
2000 715,771 39,811
2001 729,704 40,662
2002 739,419 41,651
2003 746,159 42,934
2004 761,563 44,341
2005 776,603 45,243
2006 797,342 45,911
2007 784,119 46,539
2008 802,382 47,505
2009 855,096 48,879
2010 906,369 49,838
2011 971,082 50,733
2012 999,987 53,181
2013 1,026,036 52,666
2014 1,040,726 54,673
2015 1,007,561 52,127
2016 946,968 51,397
2017 924,507 51,498
2018 938,310 47,222
2019 942,972 46,268
2020 919,953 41,083
2021 941,924 42,057
2022 962,501 41,752
2023 973,420 42,568

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Iraq vs Kuwait

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 66 deaths per 100,000 live births in Iraq, compared to 8 deaths in Kuwait.

Iraq
Kuwait
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Iraq Kuwait
1985 152 11
1986 147 11
1987 145 10
1988 174 10
1989 190 10
1990 195 16
1991 157 8
1992 126 10
1993 132 10
1994 142 10
1995 152 10
1996 158 11
1997 165 11
1998 163 11
1999 156 11
2000 146 11
2001 137 11
2002 128 11
2003 125 11
2004 122 11
2005 118 10
2006 120 10
2007 117 10
2008 109 9
2009 107 9
2010 107 9
2011 105 8
2012 100 8
2013 96 8
2014 90 8
2015 86 8
2016 87 8
2017 81 8
2018 76 8
2019 74 7
2020 63 33
2021 77 75
2022 59 8
2023 66 8

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 2.26% in Iraq and 0.88% in Kuwait. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Iraq
Kuwait

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
Iraq Kuwait
1960 19% 14.2%
1961 17.9% 13.2%
1962 16.9% 12.3%
1963 16% 11.4%
1964 15.1% 10.6%
1965 14.4% 9.86%
1966 13.6% 9.17%
1967 13% 8.55%
1968 12.4% 7.98%
1969 11.8% 7.47%
1970 11.2% 7%
1971 10.7% 6.57%
1972 10.3% 6.17%
1973 9.79% 5.8%
1974 9.35% 5.45%
1975 8.93% 5.12%
1976 8.54% 4.8%
1977 8.17% 4.49%
1978 7.83% 4.19%
1979 7.52% 3.89%
1980 7.23% 3.59%
1981 6.96% 3.29%
1982 6.71% 3%
1983 6.49% 2.72%
1984 6.28% 2.48%
1985 6.09% 2.3%
1986 5.91% 2.16%
1987 5.75% 2.04%
1988 6.92% 1.93%
1989 8.12% 1.83%
1990 7.97% 1.73%
1991 6.49% 1.64%
1992 5.17% 1.57%
1993 5.07% 1.52%
1994 4.98% 1.49%
1995 4.89% 1.46%
1996 4.8% 1.42%
1997 4.71% 1.38%
1998 4.61% 1.34%
1999 4.52% 1.3%
2000 4.43% 1.27%
2001 4.33% 1.25%
2002 4.24% 1.23%
2003 4.16% 1.21%
2004 4.07% 1.19%
2005 3.97% 1.17%
2006 3.88% 1.16%
2007 3.78% 1.14%
2008 3.67% 1.12%
2009 3.56% 1.1%
2010 3.46% 1.07%
2011 3.35% 1.03%
2012 3.24% 0.99%
2013 3.14% 0.96%
2014 3.04% 0.93%
2015 2.94% 0.91%
2016 2.84% 0.9%
2017 2.75% 0.89%
2018 2.66% 0.89%
2019 2.57% 0.89%
2020 2.49% 0.89%
2021 2.41% 0.89%
2022 2.33% 0.88%
2023 2.26% 0.88%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Iraq vs Kuwait
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