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Fertility & birth rates in Ireland and Kenya

Updated on by Georank team

Ireland has an annual birth rate of 10.3 births per 1,000 people, compared to 27.1 for Kenya. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.5 in Ireland and 3.21 in Kenya — 113.9% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -60.3% in Ireland and by -58.1% in Kenya — in 1960, it was 3.78 and 7.65, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Ireland is ranked 142/196 by birth rate compared to 43/196 for Kenya.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 31.6 years in Ireland, compared to 20.3 years in Kenya.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 32.7 in Ireland — it's 28.2 in Kenya.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 4.07 in Ireland vs 56.3 in Kenya.
  • In Ireland, 23.7% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.4% in Kenya.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +0.37% in Ireland and +1.99% in Kenya.

Birth rate data compared

Ireland Kenya
Fertility rate 1.5 3.21
Birth rate 10.3 27.1
Birth rate rank 142/196 43/196
Age at first childbirth 31.6 years 20.3 years
Average age at childbearing 32.7 years 28.2 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 4.02 52.8
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 42 167.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 22.3 46.7
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 23.7% 26.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 70.9% 56.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.7% 70.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.004% 0.15%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.25% 2.15%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.34% 3.47%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.38% 3.99%
Population change due to births and deaths +19,638 +1,100,970
Natural population change rank 109/196 18/196
Natural population change rate +0.37% +1.99%
Population growth +1.37% +1.98%
Population growth rank 78/197 55/197
Life expectancy 82.7 years 64 years

Fertility rate in Ireland vs Kenya chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Ireland was 1.5 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.21 in Kenya in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Ireland vs Kenya population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Ireland
Factual

UN forecast
Kenya
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Ireland Kenya
1960 3.78 7.65
1961 3.78 7.72
1962 3.92 7.77
1963 4.01 7.82
1964 4.07 7.87
1965 4.04 7.92
1966 3.94 7.96
1967 3.84 7.95
1968 3.77 7.95
1969 3.83 7.95
1970 3.85 7.94
1971 3.93 7.92
1972 3.84 7.89
1973 3.71 7.86
1974 3.59 7.82
1975 3.37 7.8
1976 3.29 7.77
1977 3.24 7.73
1978 3.21 7.67
1979 3.21 7.6
1980 3.21 7.53
1981 3.05 7.45
1982 2.94 7.35
1983 2.74 7.22
1984 2.58 7.08
1985 2.48 6.96
1986 2.44 6.84
1987 2.32 6.69
1988 2.17 6.52
1989 2.08 6.33
1990 2.11 6.14
1991 2.08 5.94
1992 1.99 5.74
1993 1.9 5.57
1994 1.85 5.44
1995 1.84 5.37
1996 1.88 5.31
1997 1.93 5.27
1998 1.94 5.24
1999 1.9 5.18
2000 1.89 5.14
2001 1.94 5.09
2002 1.97 5.03
2003 1.96 4.94
2004 1.93 4.86
2005 1.86 4.8
2006 1.91 4.75
2007 2.01 4.72
2008 2.06 4.66
2009 2.06 4.57
2010 2.05 4.45
2011 2.03 4.28
2012 1.98 4.12
2013 1.93 3.96
2014 1.89 3.84
2015 1.85 3.77
2016 1.81 3.69
2017 1.77 3.61
2018 1.75 3.54
2019 1.71 3.43
2020 1.63 3.36
2021 1.78 3.31
2022 1.54 3.26
2023 1.5 3.21
2024 1.5 3.17
2025 1.5 3.12
2026 1.5 3.07
2027 1.5 3.03
2028 1.5 2.99
2029 1.5 2.95
2030 1.5 2.92
2031 1.5 2.89
2032 1.5 2.85
2033 1.5 2.82
2034 1.5 2.78
2035 1.5 2.75
2036 1.5 2.72
2037 1.5 2.69
2038 1.5 2.66
2039 1.51 2.63
2040 1.51 2.61
2041 1.5 2.58
2042 1.5 2.55
2043 1.5 2.53
2044 1.51 2.5
2045 1.51 2.47
2046 1.5 2.44
2047 1.5 2.42
2048 1.5 2.4
2049 1.5 2.38
2050 1.5 2.36

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Ireland
Factual

UN forecast
Kenya
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Ireland Kenya
1960 30.9% 48.7%
1961 31% 49.1%
1962 30.9% 49.4%
1963 30.9% 49.7%
1964 30.9% 49.8%
1965 31.1% 50.2%
1966 31.1% 50.6%
1967 31.1% 50.9%
1968 31.1% 51.2%
1969 31.1% 51.4%
1970 31.1% 51.6%
1971 31.2% 51.7%
1972 31.2% 51.9%
1973 31.2% 52%
1974 31.2% 52%
1975 31.1% 52%
1976 31% 52.1%
1977 30.9% 52%
1978 30.7% 51.9%
1979 30.5% 51.7%
1980 30.4% 51.5%
1981 30.3% 51.3%
1982 30.1% 51.1%
1983 29.9% 50.8%
1984 29.6% 50.6%
1985 29.3% 50.3%
1986 28.9% 50.1%
1987 28.5% 49.9%
1988 28.1% 49.7%
1989 27.6% 49.5%
1990 27.1% 49.2%
1991 26.6% 48.9%
1992 26% 48.7%
1993 25.5% 48.4%
1994 24.9% 48%
1995 24.2% 47.7%
1996 23.6% 47.4%
1997 23% 47.1%
1998 22.5% 46.8%
1999 22.1% 46.5%
2000 21.8% 46.1%
2001 21.4% 45.7%
2002 21.1% 45.3%
2003 21% 45%
2004 20.8% 44.6%
2005 20.6% 44.4%
2006 20.4% 44.2%
2007 20.3% 44%
2008 20.5% 43.9%
2009 20.7% 43.8%
2010 21.1% 43.6%
2011 21.4% 43.4%
2012 21.5% 43.2%
2013 21.5% 42.8%
2014 21.4% 42.4%
2015 21.3% 42%
2016 21.2% 41.5%
2017 20.9% 41%
2018 20.7% 40.5%
2019 20.4% 39.9%
2020 20.1% 39.3%
2021 19.8% 38.7%
2022 19.5% 38.1%
2023 19% 37.4%
2024 18.6% 36.8%
2025 18.1% 36.3%
2026 17.6% 35.7%
2027 17.2% 35.3%
2028 16.9% 34.9%
2029 16.6% 34.5%
2030 16.3% 34.2%
2031 16% 33.9%
2032 15.8% 33.6%
2033 15.6% 33.4%
2034 15.4% 33.2%
2035 15.3% 32.9%
2036 15.2% 32.7%
2037 15.1% 32.5%
2038 15.1% 32.2%
2039 15.2% 32%
2040 15.2% 31.7%
2041 15.3% 31.4%
2042 15.4% 31%
2043 15.4% 30.7%
2044 15.5% 30.4%
2045 15.6% 30%
2046 15.6% 29.7%
2047 15.7% 29.3%
2048 15.7% 28.9%
2049 15.7% 28.5%
2050 15.6% 28.2%

Children aged 0-14 make up 18.6% of the population in Ireland and 36.8% in Kenya in 2024, compared to 27.1% and 49.2% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Ireland and Kenya compared.

Natural population change in Ireland vs Kenya by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.58% in Ireland and +2.16% in Kenya. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Ireland
Kenya

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Ireland Kenya
1960 28,286 280,032
1961 25,137 298,463
1962 28,077 315,797
1963 29,667 332,763
1964 31,532 349,322
1965 30,500 366,444
1966 26,866 382,891
1967 29,895 396,920
1968 27,697 411,948
1969 29,326 427,819
1970 30,756 443,065
1971 35,606 459,897
1972 34,316 472,557
1973 34,562 485,556
1974 34,199 500,008
1975 34,128 517,579
1976 33,676 536,740
1977 35,448 554,124
1978 36,288 574,695
1979 38,798 595,390
1980 40,612 616,390
1981 39,364 642,379
1982 38,344 663,109
1983 34,053 684,587
1984 31,791 709,639
1985 29,013 732,739
1986 27,963 755,606
1987 26,904 775,124
1988 22,912 785,652
1989 20,012 795,622
1990 21,787 789,087
1991 21,206 790,030
1992 20,283 785,018
1993 17,166 788,579
1994 17,234 792,702
1995 16,601 812,391
1996 18,915 827,326
1997 21,311 847,493
1998 22,277 875,511
1999 21,402 898,484
2000 23,592 928,357
2001 27,837 963,721
2002 31,062 992,044
2003 32,372 1,018,182
2004 33,376 1,048,590
2005 33,279 1,080,446
2006 36,752 1,113,357
2007 43,109 1,147,063
2008 46,691 1,174,818
2009 47,168 1,193,598
2010 47,426 1,199,786
2011 45,801 1,185,863
2012 42,775 1,161,548
2013 39,302 1,136,006
2014 37,728 1,123,333
2015 35,265 1,119,200
2016 33,339 1,108,801
2017 31,379 1,105,769
2018 29,878 1,097,075
2019 28,365 1,071,777
2020 23,687 1,036,253
2021 26,064 1,037,082
2022 19,287 1,092,102
2023 19,638 1,100,970

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Ireland vs Kenya

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 4 deaths per 100,000 live births in Ireland, compared to 149 deaths in Kenya.

Ireland
Kenya
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Ireland Kenya
1985 11 1,375
1986 11 1,059
1987 10 960
1988 11 756
1989 10 663
1990 11 586
1991 10 493
1992 10 419
1993 9 363
1994 9 342
1995 9 308
1996 8 275
1997 8 253
1998 8 250
1999 7 217
2000 8 206
2001 7 188
2002 7 182
2003 6 177
2004 6 177
2005 6 178
2006 6 188
2007 6 198
2008 6 197
2009 6 208
2010 6 210
2011 6 209
2012 6 214
2013 5 206
2014 5 203
2015 5 203
2016 4 196
2017 4 186
2018 5 183
2019 4 176
2020 6 184
2021 6 183
2022 7 155
2023 4 149

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.38% in Ireland and 3.99% in Kenya. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Ireland
Kenya

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
Ireland Kenya
1960 3.53% 19.6%
1961 3.38% 18.8%
1962 3.25% 18.1%
1963 3.13% 17.5%
1964 3.01% 17%
1965 2.87% 16.6%
1966 2.71% 16.3%
1967 2.55% 16%
1968 2.41% 15.7%
1969 2.3% 15.4%
1970 2.22% 15%
1971 2.17% 14.7%
1972 2.14% 14.3%
1973 2.11% 14%
1974 2.06% 13.5%
1975 2% 13.1%
1976 1.91% 12.7%
1977 1.81% 12.2%
1978 1.69% 11.8%
1979 1.56% 11.4%
1980 1.43% 11%
1981 1.32% 10.6%
1982 1.23% 10.3%
1983 1.17% 9.98%
1984 1.11% 9.74%
1985 1.07% 9.57%
1986 1.04% 9.49%
1987 1.02% 9.51%
1988 0.99% 9.63%
1989 0.96% 9.85%
1990 0.92% 10.1%
1991 0.87% 10.5%
1992 0.81% 10.7%
1993 0.77% 10.9%
1994 0.74% 11%
1995 0.73% 11%
1996 0.73% 10.9%
1997 0.73% 10.7%
1998 0.73% 10.4%
1999 0.73% 10.1%
2000 0.72% 9.63%
2001 0.69% 9.16%
2002 0.65% 8.66%
2003 0.6% 8.16%
2004 0.56% 7.66%
2005 0.52% 7.15%
2006 0.49% 6.71%
2007 0.46% 6.32%
2008 0.44% 5.82%
2009 0.43% 5.54%
2010 0.42% 5.35%
2011 0.41% 5.22%
2012 0.4% 5.12%
2013 0.39% 5%
2014 0.38% 4.88%
2015 0.37% 4.74%
2016 0.36% 4.6%
2017 0.35% 4.53%
2018 0.34% 4.43%
2019 0.34% 4.33%
2020 0.35% 4.28%
2021 0.36% 4.19%
2022 0.37% 4.11%
2023 0.38% 3.99%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Ireland vs Kenya
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