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Fertility & birth rates in Italy and Malta

Updated on by Georank team

Italy has an annual birth rate of 6.4 births per 1,000 people, compared to 8.1 for Malta. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.2 in Italy and 1.06 in Malta — 11.7% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -50% in Italy and by -70.7% in Malta — in 1960, it was 2.4 and 3.62, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Italy is ranked 190/196 by birth rate compared to 174/196 for Malta.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 31.8 years in Italy, compared to 29.8 years in Malta.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 32.3 in Italy — it's 31.1 in Malta.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 2.85 in Italy vs 10.4 in Malta.
  • In Italy, 19.6% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 22.6% in Malta.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.48% in Italy and +0.08% in Malta.

Birth rate data compared

Italy Malta
Fertility rate 1.2 1.06
Birth rate 6.4 8.1
Birth rate rank 190/196 174/196
Age at first childbirth 31.8 years 29.8 years
Average age at childbearing 32.3 years 31.1 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 2.9 9.63
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 38.1 39.8
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 11.8 15.9
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 19.6% 22.6%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 51.8% 46%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.8% 99.8%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.006% 0.008%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.16% 0.37%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.23% 0.48%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.28% 0.55%
Population change due to births and deaths -283,168 +442
Natural population change rank 191/196 147/196
Natural population change rate -0.48% +0.08%
Population growth -0.01% +3.91%
Population growth rank 166/197 7/197
Life expectancy 84 years 83.6 years

Fertility rate in Italy vs Malta chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Italy was 1.2 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.06 in Malta in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Italy vs Malta population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Italy
Factual

UN forecast
Malta
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Italy Malta
1960 2.4 3.62
1961 2.44 3.27
1962 2.46 3.24
1963 2.51 2.9
1964 2.66 2.79
1965 2.6 2.52
1966 2.58 2.33
1967 2.5 2.24
1968 2.46 2.12
1969 2.47 2.02
1970 2.38 2.03
1971 2.4 2.06
1972 2.35 2.01
1973 2.3 1.65
1974 2.28 1.64
1975 2.17 2.27
1976 2.04 2.21
1977 1.93 2.14
1978 1.84 2.05
1979 1.73 2.1
1980 1.64 1.99
1981 1.58 1.87
1982 1.56 1.9
1983 1.51 1.92
1984 1.46 1.95
1985 1.42 1.95
1986 1.35 1.93
1987 1.33 1.97
1988 1.36 2.06
1989 1.33 2.1
1990 1.33 2.02
1991 1.3 1.99
1992 1.3 2.07
1993 1.25 1.96
1994 1.21 1.84
1995 1.19 1.77
1996 1.2 1.99
1997 1.22 1.93
1998 1.22 1.84
1999 1.23 1.73
2000 1.26 1.68
2001 1.25 1.48
2002 1.27 1.45
2003 1.29 1.48
2004 1.34 1.4
2005 1.33 1.38
2006 1.37 1.36
2007 1.39 1.35
2008 1.44 1.43
2009 1.44 1.42
2010 1.44 1.36
2011 1.42 1.45
2012 1.42 1.42
2013 1.39 1.36
2014 1.38 1.38
2015 1.36 1.37
2016 1.36 1.37
2017 1.34 1.26
2018 1.31 1.23
2019 1.27 1.14
2020 1.24 1.13
2021 1.25 1.13
2022 1.24 1.08
2023 1.2 1.06
2024 1.21 1.07
2025 1.22 1.08
2026 1.22 1.08
2027 1.23 1.09
2028 1.24 1.1
2029 1.24 1.11
2030 1.25 1.11
2031 1.26 1.12
2032 1.26 1.12
2033 1.27 1.13
2034 1.28 1.13
2035 1.28 1.14
2036 1.29 1.15
2037 1.29 1.15
2038 1.3 1.16
2039 1.3 1.16
2040 1.31 1.17
2041 1.31 1.17
2042 1.31 1.18
2043 1.32 1.18
2044 1.32 1.19
2045 1.33 1.19
2046 1.33 1.2
2047 1.34 1.2
2048 1.34 1.21
2049 1.35 1.21
2050 1.35 1.21

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Italy
Factual

UN forecast
Malta
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Italy Malta
1960 25% 35.8%
1961 25% 35%
1962 24.7% 34.2%
1963 24.5% 33.4%
1964 24.5% 32.6%
1965 24.5% 31.7%
1966 24.5% 30.9%
1967 24.6% 30.1%
1968 24.6% 29.3%
1969 24.7% 28.5%
1970 24.7% 27.7%
1971 24.6% 26.9%
1972 24.6% 26.3%
1973 24.6% 25.6%
1974 24.5% 25%
1975 24.3% 24.5%
1976 24.1% 24.1%
1977 23.7% 23.8%
1978 23.4% 23.6%
1979 22.8% 23.5%
1980 22.3% 23.4%
1981 21.6% 23.5%
1982 21.1% 23.6%
1983 20.5% 23.8%
1984 19.9% 24%
1985 19.3% 24.1%
1986 18.7% 24.1%
1987 18.1% 24%
1988 17.5% 23.8%
1989 17% 23.6%
1990 16.5% 23.4%
1991 15.8% 23.1%
1992 15.2% 22.9%
1993 15% 22.6%
1994 14.8% 22.3%
1995 14.6% 22%
1996 14.5% 21.6%
1997 14.4% 21.2%
1998 14.3% 20.7%
1999 14.3% 20.2%
2000 14.3% 19.8%
2001 14.2% 19.4%
2002 14.2% 18.9%
2003 14.2% 18.4%
2004 14.2% 17.9%
2005 14.1% 17.4%
2006 14.1% 16.9%
2007 14% 16.4%
2008 14% 15.9%
2009 14% 15.5%
2010 14% 15.2%
2011 14% 14.9%
2012 14% 14.7%
2013 13.9% 14.5%
2014 13.8% 14.3%
2015 13.7% 14.2%
2016 13.6% 14.2%
2017 13.4% 14%
2018 13.2% 13.8%
2019 13% 13.6%
2020 12.8% 13.3%
2021 12.6% 13.2%
2022 12.4% 13.2%
2023 12.1% 13.2%
2024 11.9% 13%
2025 11.7% 12.9%
2026 11.4% 12.8%
2027 11.2% 12.6%
2028 11% 12.5%
2029 10.9% 12.3%
2030 10.7% 12.2%
2031 10.6% 12%
2032 10.5% 11.7%
2033 10.4% 11.5%
2034 10.3% 11.3%
2035 10.3% 11.1%
2036 10.3% 10.9%
2037 10.3% 10.8%
2038 10.3% 10.6%
2039 10.4% 10.4%
2040 10.4% 10.3%
2041 10.5% 10.1%
2042 10.5% 9.98%
2043 10.6% 9.86%
2044 10.7% 9.75%
2045 10.7% 9.66%
2046 10.8% 9.59%
2047 10.8% 9.55%
2048 10.9% 9.52%
2049 10.9% 9.51%
2050 10.9% 9.52%

Children aged 0-14 make up 11.9% of the population in Italy and 13% in Malta in 2024, compared to 16.5% and 23.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Italy and Malta compared.

Natural population change in Italy vs Malta by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been -0.38% in Italy and +0.13% in Malta. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Italy
Malta

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Italy Malta
1960 426,697 5,747
1961 459,880 4,748
1962 427,387 4,664
1963 440,767 3,709
1964 527,089 3,630
1965 474,222 2,646
1966 488,427 2,458
1967 439,074 2,306
1968 399,268 2,247
1969 390,827 2,069
1970 376,753 2,270
1971 383,922 2,482
1972 364,355 2,480
1973 328,508 2,327
1974 336,176 2,687
1975 271,660 2,829
1976 228,445 2,721
1977 190,248 2,916
1978 168,465 2,389
1979 129,531 2,852
1980 84,650 2,375
1981 73,452 2,233
1982 79,161 2,835
1983 33,939 2,512
1984 50,919 2,678
1985 28,297 2,590
1986 11,319 2,395
1987 16,980 2,412
1988 33,977 2,813
1989 28,336 2,981
1990 22,688 2,621
1991 11,352 2,438
1992 22,718 2,573
1993 0 2,451
1994 -17,053 2,136
1995 -34,107 1,887
1996 -22,744 2,279
1997 -22,756 1,991
1998 -39,835 1,656
1999 -22,766 1,357
2000 -17,082 1,482
2001 -11,396 1,061
2002 -22,836 911
2003 -40,179 917
2004 11,566 883
2005 -17,450 727
2006 0 568
2007 -5,876 691
2008 -11,842 777
2009 -17,866 825
2010 -23,928 871
2011 -48,021 916
2012 -78,248 714
2013 -90,468 807
2014 -96,513 910
2015 -162,620 888
2016 -138,265 1,091
2017 -192,007 747
2018 -192,475 774
2019 -215,025 655
2020 -338,801 361
2021 -301,579 259
2022 -318,674 54
2023 -283,168 442

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Italy vs Malta

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 6 deaths per 100,000 live births in Italy, compared to 8 deaths in Malta.

Italy
Malta
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Italy Malta
1985 22 21
1986 22 19
1987 21 19
1988 20 17
1989 19 17
1990 18 17
1991 18 17
1992 17 17
1993 16 16
1994 15 16
1995 15 15
1996 14 16
1997 13 15
1998 12 14
1999 11 15
2000 11 13
2001 10 12
2002 10 13
2003 8 13
2004 8 11
2005 8 11
2006 7 12
2007 7 10
2008 7 10
2009 8 11
2010 8 9
2011 8 11
2012 8 9
2013 8 7
2014 8 8
2015 8 7
2016 8 10
2017 8 7
2018 7 9
2019 7 8
2020 8 10
2021 7 10
2022 10 10
2023 6 8

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.28% in Italy and 0.55% in Malta. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Italy
Malta

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
Italy Malta
1960 5.19% 4%
1961 4.98% 3.85%
1962 4.76% 3.73%
1963 4.53% 3.63%
1964 4.31% 3.53%
1965 4.11% 3.43%
1966 3.93% 3.31%
1967 3.78% 3.19%
1968 3.64% 3.06%
1969 3.51% 2.93%
1970 3.36% 2.79%
1971 3.18% 2.66%
1972 2.98% 2.52%
1973 2.76% 2.39%
1974 2.53% 2.26%
1975 2.31% 2.14%
1976 2.11% 2.03%
1977 1.95% 1.93%
1978 1.82% 1.84%
1979 1.7% 1.76%
1980 1.61% 1.69%
1981 1.52% 1.62%
1982 1.43% 1.57%
1983 1.35% 1.51%
1984 1.27% 1.45%
1985 1.2% 1.39%
1986 1.14% 1.33%
1987 1.08% 1.28%
1988 1.04% 1.23%
1989 1% 1.18%
1990 0.97% 1.13%
1991 0.93% 1.1%
1992 0.89% 1.06%
1993 0.85% 1.02%
1994 0.8% 0.98%
1995 0.75% 0.94%
1996 0.7% 0.9%
1997 0.66% 0.86%
1998 0.62% 0.82%
1999 0.59% 0.79%
2000 0.56% 0.76%
2001 0.53% 0.74%
2002 0.51% 0.72%
2003 0.48% 0.71%
2004 0.46% 0.7%
2005 0.45% 0.69%
2006 0.43% 0.69%
2007 0.42% 0.69%
2008 0.41% 0.69%
2009 0.41% 0.69%
2010 0.4% 0.69%
2011 0.39% 0.68%
2012 0.38% 0.68%
2013 0.37% 0.67%
2014 0.36% 0.67%
2015 0.35% 0.66%
2016 0.34% 0.65%
2017 0.33% 0.64%
2018 0.32% 0.63%
2019 0.31% 0.61%
2020 0.3% 0.6%
2021 0.29% 0.58%
2022 0.28% 0.57%
2023 0.28% 0.55%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Italy vs Malta
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