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Fertility & birth rates in Ireland and Malawi

Updated on by Georank team

Ireland has an annual birth rate of 10.3 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 1.5 in Ireland and 3.65 in Malawi — 143.2% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -60.3% in Ireland and by -48.2% in Malawi — in 1960, it was 3.78 and 7.04, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Ireland is ranked 142/196 by birth rate compared to 25/196 for Malawi.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 31.6 years in Ireland, compared to 19.1 years in Malawi.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 32.7 in Ireland — it's 27.6 in Malawi.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 4.07 in Ireland vs 113.6 in Malawi.
  • In Ireland, 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 +0.37% in Ireland and +2.6% in Malawi.

Birth rate data compared

Ireland Malawi
Fertility rate 1.5 3.65
Birth rate 10.3 31.4
Birth rate rank 142/196 25/196
Age at first childbirth 31.6 years 19.1 years
Average age at childbearing 32.7 years 27.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 4.02 112.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 42 171.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 22.3 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 70.9% 64.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.7% 96.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.004% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.25% 1.88%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.34% 2.94%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.38% 3.83%
Population change due to births and deaths +19,638 +549,096
Natural population change rank 109/196 35/196
Natural population change rate +0.37% +2.6%
Population growth +1.37% +2.61%
Population growth rank 78/197 27/197
Life expectancy 82.7 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Ireland vs Malawi 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 3.65 in Malawi in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Ireland
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Ireland Malawi
1960 3.78 7.04
1961 3.78 7.07
1962 3.92 7.1
1963 4.01 7.13
1964 4.07 7.11
1965 4.04 7.13
1966 3.94 7.17
1967 3.84 7.21
1968 3.77 7.26
1969 3.83 7.27
1970 3.85 7.3
1971 3.93 7.31
1972 3.84 7.33
1973 3.71 7.34
1974 3.59 7.34
1975 3.37 7.36
1976 3.29 7.39
1977 3.24 7.41
1978 3.21 7.43
1979 3.21 7.47
1980 3.21 7.52
1981 3.05 7.49
1982 2.94 7.45
1983 2.74 7.36
1984 2.58 7.27
1985 2.48 7.17
1986 2.44 7.07
1987 2.32 6.97
1988 2.17 6.88
1989 2.08 6.8
1990 2.11 6.74
1991 2.08 6.68
1992 1.99 6.63
1993 1.9 6.57
1994 1.85 6.49
1995 1.84 6.39
1996 1.88 6.29
1997 1.93 6.23
1998 1.94 6.21
1999 1.9 6.12
2000 1.89 6
2001 1.94 5.94
2002 1.97 5.9
2003 1.96 5.88
2004 1.93 5.86
2005 1.86 5.85
2006 1.91 5.8
2007 2.01 5.72
2008 2.06 5.61
2009 2.06 5.45
2010 2.05 5.26
2011 2.03 5.08
2012 1.98 4.9
2013 1.93 4.76
2014 1.89 4.57
2015 1.85 4.38
2016 1.81 4.22
2017 1.77 4.11
2018 1.75 4.02
2019 1.71 3.95
2020 1.63 3.88
2021 1.78 3.79
2022 1.54 3.72
2023 1.5 3.65
2024 1.5 3.59
2025 1.5 3.53
2026 1.5 3.45
2027 1.5 3.39
2028 1.5 3.33
2029 1.5 3.29
2030 1.5 3.23
2031 1.5 3.18
2032 1.5 3.13
2033 1.5 3.09
2034 1.5 3.05
2035 1.5 3.01
2036 1.5 2.97
2037 1.5 2.93
2038 1.5 2.89
2039 1.51 2.86
2040 1.51 2.82
2041 1.5 2.79
2042 1.5 2.76
2043 1.5 2.73
2044 1.51 2.7
2045 1.51 2.67
2046 1.5 2.64
2047 1.5 2.61
2048 1.5 2.59
2049 1.5 2.57
2050 1.5 2.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Ireland
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Ireland Malawi
1960 30.9% 43.1%
1961 31% 42.9%
1962 30.9% 42.8%
1963 30.9% 42.9%
1964 30.9% 43%
1965 31.1% 43.2%
1966 31.1% 43.4%
1967 31.1% 43.7%
1968 31.1% 43.9%
1969 31.1% 44.2%
1970 31.1% 44.4%
1971 31.2% 44.6%
1972 31.2% 44.8%
1973 31.2% 44.9%
1974 31.2% 45.1%
1975 31.1% 45.2%
1976 31% 45.2%
1977 30.9% 45.3%
1978 30.7% 45.3%
1979 30.5% 45.3%
1980 30.4% 45.4%
1981 30.3% 45.4%
1982 30.1% 45.4%
1983 29.9% 45.5%
1984 29.6% 45.5%
1985 29.3% 45.4%
1986 28.9% 45.4%
1987 28.5% 45.1%
1988 28.1% 45%
1989 27.6% 45.2%
1990 27.1% 45.4%
1991 26.6% 45.6%
1992 26% 45.8%
1993 25.5% 46%
1994 24.9% 46.1%
1995 24.2% 46.1%
1996 23.6% 46.2%
1997 23% 46.2%
1998 22.5% 46.2%
1999 22.1% 46.2%
2000 21.8% 46.2%
2001 21.4% 46.1%
2002 21.1% 46.1%
2003 21% 46.1%
2004 20.8% 46%
2005 20.6% 46%
2006 20.4% 46.1%
2007 20.3% 46.1%
2008 20.5% 46.1%
2009 20.7% 46.2%
2010 21.1% 46.2%
2011 21.4% 46.2%
2012 21.5% 46.1%
2013 21.5% 46%
2014 21.4% 45.7%
2015 21.3% 45.4%
2016 21.2% 45.1%
2017 20.9% 44.6%
2018 20.7% 44.2%
2019 20.4% 43.7%
2020 20.1% 43.1%
2021 19.8% 42.5%
2022 19.5% 41.9%
2023 19% 41.3%
2024 18.6% 40.7%
2025 18.1% 40.1%
2026 17.6% 39.6%
2027 17.2% 39.1%
2028 16.9% 38.6%
2029 16.6% 38.1%
2030 16.3% 37.7%
2031 16% 37.4%
2032 15.8% 37%
2033 15.6% 36.7%
2034 15.4% 36.4%
2035 15.3% 36%
2036 15.2% 35.7%
2037 15.1% 35.3%
2038 15.1% 35%
2039 15.2% 34.6%
2040 15.2% 34.2%
2041 15.3% 33.9%
2042 15.4% 33.5%
2043 15.4% 33.1%
2044 15.5% 32.7%
2045 15.6% 32.3%
2046 15.6% 31.9%
2047 15.7% 31.5%
2048 15.7% 31.2%
2049 15.7% 30.8%
2050 15.6% 30.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 18.6% of the population in Ireland and 40.7% in Malawi in 2024, compared to 27.1% and 45.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Ireland and Malawi compared.

Natural population change in Ireland vs Malawi by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +0.58% in Ireland and +2.67% in Malawi. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Ireland
Malawi

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Ireland Malawi
1960 28,286 85,718
1961 25,137 89,091
1962 28,077 92,463
1963 29,667 95,933
1964 31,532 97,658
1965 30,500 100,040
1966 26,866 103,512
1967 29,895 106,668
1968 27,697 110,329
1969 29,326 113,120
1970 30,756 116,822
1971 35,606 121,015
1972 34,316 125,728
1973 34,562 131,529
1974 34,199 137,819
1975 34,128 145,254
1976 33,676 153,422
1977 35,448 161,930
1978 36,288 172,503
1979 38,798 182,123
1980 40,612 192,746
1981 39,364 199,436
1982 38,344 205,386
1983 34,053 209,422
1984 31,791 212,146
1985 29,013 216,179
1986 27,963 218,519
1987 26,904 220,566
1988 22,912 226,911
1989 20,012 237,967
1990 21,787 250,159
1991 21,206 260,193
1992 20,283 269,066
1993 17,166 276,538
1994 17,234 275,439
1995 16,601 266,745
1996 18,915 270,048
1997 21,311 277,433
1998 22,277 285,407
1999 21,402 295,629
2000 23,592 300,439
2001 27,837 310,833
2002 31,062 322,863
2003 32,372 341,133
2004 33,376 361,133
2005 33,279 381,130
2006 36,752 397,123
2007 43,109 410,290
2008 46,691 421,781
2009 47,168 434,811
2010 47,426 444,468
2011 45,801 454,149
2012 42,775 460,684
2013 39,302 470,293
2014 37,728 472,418
2015 35,265 472,484
2016 33,339 474,779
2017 31,379 484,655
2018 29,878 494,348
2019 28,365 506,104
2020 23,687 514,659
2021 26,064 517,400
2022 19,287 533,450
2023 19,638 549,096

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Ireland vs Malawi

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 225 deaths in Malawi.

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

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.38% in Ireland and 3.83% in Malawi. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Ireland
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
Ireland Malawi
1960 3.53% -
1961 3.38% 35.9%
1962 3.25% 35.8%
1963 3.13% 35.7%
1964 3.01% 35.5%
1965 2.87% 35.4%
1966 2.71% 35.3%
1967 2.55% 35.1%
1968 2.41% 35%
1969 2.3% 34.7%
1970 2.22% 34.4%
1971 2.17% 33.9%
1972 2.14% 33.2%
1973 2.11% 32.4%
1974 2.06% 31.5%
1975 2% 30.6%
1976 1.91% 29.7%
1977 1.81% 28.7%
1978 1.69% 27.6%
1979 1.56% 26.5%
1980 1.43% 25.6%
1981 1.32% 24.9%
1982 1.23% 24.5%
1983 1.17% 24.5%
1984 1.11% 24.8%
1985 1.07% 25.1%
1986 1.04% 25.4%
1987 1.02% 25.5%
1988 0.99% 25.3%
1989 0.96% 24.9%
1990 0.92% 24.3%
1991 0.87% 23.6%
1992 0.81% 22.8%
1993 0.77% 22%
1994 0.74% 21.3%
1995 0.73% 20.7%
1996 0.73% 20.2%
1997 0.73% 19.7%
1998 0.73% 19.2%
1999 0.73% 18.4%
2000 0.72% 17.3%
2001 0.69% 16%
2002 0.65% 14.6%
2003 0.6% 13.2%
2004 0.56% 11.9%
2005 0.52% 11%
2006 0.49% 10.3%
2007 0.46% 9.83%
2008 0.44% 9.31%
2009 0.43% 8.81%
2010 0.42% 8.3%
2011 0.41% 7.67%
2012 0.4% 6.98%
2013 0.39% 6.4%
2014 0.38% 6.02%
2015 0.37% 5.67%
2016 0.36% 5.35%
2017 0.35% 5.06%
2018 0.34% 4.75%
2019 0.34% 4.55%
2020 0.35% 4.31%
2021 0.36% 4.15%
2022 0.37% 3.99%
2023 0.38% 3.83%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Ireland vs Malawi
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