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Fertility & birth rates in Japan and Syria

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has an annual birth rate of 6 births per 1,000 people, compared to 22.1 for Syria. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.2 in Japan and 2.71 in Syria — 126% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -40% in Japan and by -63.9% in Syria — in 1960, it was 2 and 7.51, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Japan is ranked 192/196 by birth rate compared to 61/196 for Syria.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 32.1 in Japan — it's 28.8 in Syria.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 1.74 in Japan vs 38.9 in Syria.
  • In Japan, 18.6% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 27.7% in Syria.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.7% in Japan and +1.71% in Syria.

Birth rate data compared

Japan Syria
Fertility rate 1.2 2.71
Birth rate 6 22.1
Birth rate rank 192/196 61/196
Age at first childbirth 30.7 years n/a
Average age at childbearing 32.1 years 28.8 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 1.54 38
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 41 135
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 10.5 35
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 18.6% 27.7%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 52.8% 37.5%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.8% 96.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.003% 0.02%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.08% 1%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.18% 1.9%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.24% 2.06%
Population change due to births and deaths -871,617 +402,713
Natural population change rank 195/196 44/196
Natural population change rate -0.7% +1.71%
Population growth -0.43% +4.57%
Population growth rank 182/197 5/197
Life expectancy 85 years 73 years

Fertility rate in Japan vs Syria chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Japan was 1.2 children per woman in 2023, compared to 2.71 in Syria in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Japan vs Syria population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Japan
Factual

UN forecast
Syria
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Japan Syria
1960 2 7.51
1961 1.96 7.5
1962 1.98 7.51
1963 2 7.51
1964 2.05 7.53
1965 2.14 7.53
1966 1.58 7.55
1967 2.23 7.56
1968 2.13 7.57
1969 2.13 7.59
1970 2.13 7.62
1971 2.16 7.6
1972 2.14 7.57
1973 2.14 7.55
1974 2.05 7.52
1975 1.91 7.49
1976 1.85 7.45
1977 1.8 7.42
1978 1.79 7.35
1979 1.77 7.25
1980 1.75 7.12
1981 1.74 6.97
1982 1.77 6.81
1983 1.8 6.69
1984 1.81 6.59
1985 1.76 6.48
1986 1.72 6.37
1987 1.69 6.2
1988 1.66 6
1989 1.57 5.78
1990 1.54 5.56
1991 1.53 5.34
1992 1.5 5.14
1993 1.46 4.99
1994 1.5 4.86
1995 1.42 4.7
1996 1.43 4.54
1997 1.39 4.37
1998 1.38 4.25
1999 1.34 4.14
2000 1.36 4.07
2001 1.33 3.98
2002 1.32 3.87
2003 1.29 3.76
2004 1.29 3.68
2005 1.26 3.61
2006 1.32 3.56
2007 1.34 3.54
2008 1.37 3.48
2009 1.37 3.42
2010 1.39 3.36
2011 1.39 3.29
2012 1.41 3.22
2013 1.43 3.17
2014 1.42 3.12
2015 1.45 3.07
2016 1.44 3.01
2017 1.43 2.97
2018 1.42 2.93
2019 1.36 2.88
2020 1.33 2.84
2021 1.3 2.8
2022 1.26 2.75
2023 1.2 2.71
2024 1.21 2.7
2025 1.22 2.66
2026 1.22 2.62
2027 1.23 2.58
2028 1.24 2.54
2029 1.25 2.51
2030 1.25 2.48
2031 1.26 2.45
2032 1.26 2.42
2033 1.27 2.39
2034 1.28 2.36
2035 1.28 2.33
2036 1.29 2.31
2037 1.29 2.29
2038 1.3 2.26
2039 1.3 2.24
2040 1.3 2.22
2041 1.31 2.2
2042 1.31 2.18
2043 1.31 2.16
2044 1.32 2.14
2045 1.32 2.13
2046 1.33 2.11
2047 1.33 2.1
2048 1.33 2.08
2049 1.34 2.07
2050 1.34 2.05

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Japan
Factual

UN forecast
Syria
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Japan Syria
1960 29.8% 45.3%
1961 29.1% 45.7%
1962 28% 46.1%
1963 26.8% 46.3%
1964 25.8% 46.6%
1965 25.1% 46.9%
1966 24.4% 47.3%
1967 23.8% 47.5%
1968 23.5% 47.8%
1969 23.4% 48%
1970 23.3% 48.2%
1971 23.3% 48.3%
1972 23.4% 48.4%
1973 23.6% 48.5%
1974 23.8% 48.5%
1975 23.8% 48.6%
1976 23.9% 48.6%
1977 23.9% 48.7%
1978 23.8% 48.7%
1979 23.7% 48.7%
1980 23.4% 48.7%
1981 23.3% 48.7%
1982 23.1% 48.5%
1983 22.6% 48.4%
1984 22.2% 48.2%
1985 21.7% 48%
1986 21% 47.7%
1987 20.3% 47.5%
1988 19.5% 47.2%
1989 18.8% 46.9%
1990 18% 46.6%
1991 17.4% 46.1%
1992 16.9% 45.7%
1993 16.4% 45.2%
1994 16% 44.7%
1995 15.6% 44.2%
1996 15.3% 43.8%
1997 15.1% 43.3%
1998 14.8% 42.9%
1999 14.6% 42.4%
2000 14.4% 41.9%
2001 14.2% 41.3%
2002 14.1% 40.8%
2003 13.9% 40.2%
2004 13.8% 39.6%
2005 13.8% 39.1%
2006 13.7% 38.1%
2007 13.6% 36.7%
2008 13.5% 36.3%
2009 13.5% 36.3%
2010 13.4% 36.1%
2011 13.3% 36.1%
2012 13.2% 36.5%
2013 13.1% 38%
2014 13% 39.8%
2015 12.8% 40.6%
2016 12.7% 40.2%
2017 12.6% 39.3%
2018 12.5% 37.9%
2019 12.4% 36.1%
2020 12.2% 34.6%
2021 12% 33.4%
2022 11.9% 31.9%
2023 11.6% 30.3%
2024 11.4% 29.2%
2025 11.2% 28.4%
2026 11% 27.9%
2027 10.9% 27.5%
2028 10.7% 27.3%
2029 10.5% 27.3%
2030 10.4% 27.6%
2031 10.3% 27.9%
2032 10.2% 28.3%
2033 10.1% 28.6%
2034 10.1% 28.8%
2035 10.1% 29%
2036 10.1% 29%
2037 10.1% 28.9%
2038 10.2% 28.7%
2039 10.3% 28.4%
2040 10.4% 28%
2041 10.5% 27.5%
2042 10.6% 27%
2043 10.7% 26.4%
2044 10.8% 25.8%
2045 10.9% 25.1%
2046 11% 24.5%
2047 11.1% 23.9%
2048 11.2% 23.3%
2049 11.2% 22.8%
2050 11.2% 22.3%

Children aged 0-14 make up 11.4% of the population in Japan and 29.2% in Syria in 2024, compared to 18% and 46.6% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Japan and Syria compared.

Natural population change in Japan vs Syria by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been -0.41% in Japan and +1.46% in Syria. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Japan
Syria

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Japan Syria
1960 894,874 143,687
1961 893,522 151,485
1962 901,864 159,155
1963 987,770 166,555
1964 1,046,553 174,549
1965 1,126,448 182,560
1966 682,072 191,122
1967 1,258,475 199,223
1968 1,191,930 209,454
1969 1,195,962 219,114
1970 1,230,496 230,117
1971 1,331,782 239,610
1972 1,372,006 249,027
1973 1,391,449 254,687
1974 1,332,960 270,735
1975 1,204,989 282,299
1976 1,127,750 294,267
1977 1,070,397 306,630
1978 1,011,234 316,724
1979 950,298 324,943
1980 864,372 332,464
1981 811,861 330,237
1982 805,664 319,664
1983 775,495 355,375
1984 756,523 366,768
1985 676,687 379,231
1986 631,706 390,821
1987 598,138 399,159
1988 527,085 404,285
1989 467,662 406,111
1990 407,478 409,177
1991 396,685 410,830
1992 360,833 412,878
1993 312,073 420,244
1994 363,017 426,996
1995 276,039 430,172
1996 314,392 430,765
1997 277,325 429,887
1998 265,440 433,447
1999 202,610 439,261
2000 228,317 446,211
2001 203,438 451,503
2002 178,423 453,967
2003 114,946 457,000
2004 76,656 461,209
2005 -25,554 468,960
2006 12,785 480,616
2007 -25,600 529,162
2008 -51,225 576,593
2009 -76,828 559,314
2010 -128,070 558,666
2011 -204,533 543,950
2012 -229,733 475,520
2013 -242,146 419,341
2014 -267,279 333,116
2015 -292,424 253,977
2016 -343,106 236,007
2017 -406,310 237,214
2018 -456,520 242,530
2019 -531,858 293,762
2020 -542,923 327,992
2021 -640,976 350,560
2022 -825,825 369,750
2023 -871,617 402,713

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Japan vs Syria

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 3 deaths per 100,000 live births in Japan, compared to 20 deaths in Syria.

Japan
Syria
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Japan Syria
1985 19 55
1986 18 52
1987 17 48
1988 16 44
1989 15 41
1990 14 37
1991 13 35
1992 13 33
1993 12 32
1994 11 32
1995 11 33
1996 11 34
1997 10 34
1998 10 34
1999 9 32
2000 9 31
2001 8 29
2002 8 26
2003 8 24
2004 7 22
2005 7 21
2006 7 20
2007 6 19
2008 6 20
2009 6 19
2010 6 19
2011 6 21
2012 6 22
2013 5 25
2014 5 25
2015 5 24
2016 5 23
2017 5 23
2018 5 21
2019 5 24
2020 4 23
2021 4 30
2022 5 21
2023 3 20

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.24% in Japan and 2.06% in Syria. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Japan
Syria

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
Japan Syria
1960 3.97% 16.9%
1961 3.62% 16.1%
1962 3.29% 15.3%
1963 2.98% 14.7%
1964 2.7% 14.1%
1965 2.46% 13.5%
1966 2.26% 12.9%
1967 2.1% 12.3%
1968 1.96% 11.7%
1969 1.85% 11.1%
1970 1.75% 10.5%
1971 1.65% 9.91%
1972 1.57% 9.4%
1973 1.49% 8.92%
1974 1.41% 8.47%
1975 1.33% 8.03%
1976 1.25% 7.61%
1977 1.18% 7.19%
1978 1.11% 6.79%
1979 1.05% 6.4%
1980 0.99% 6.03%
1981 0.93% 6.33%
1982 0.88% 7.06%
1983 0.83% 5.1%
1984 0.79% 4.84%
1985 0.75% 4.6%
1986 0.71% 4.39%
1987 0.68% 4.19%
1988 0.66% 4.02%
1989 0.64% 3.85%
1990 0.63% 3.7%
1991 0.62% 3.55%
1992 0.61% 3.4%
1993 0.6% 3.24%
1994 0.59% 3.09%
1995 0.57% 2.94%
1996 0.55% 2.8%
1997 0.52% 2.66%
1998 0.5% 2.53%
1999 0.47% 2.42%
2000 0.45% 2.32%
2001 0.43% 2.23%
2002 0.41% 2.15%
2003 0.4% 2.09%
2004 0.39% 2.03%
2005 0.37% 1.98%
2006 0.36% 1.95%
2007 0.35% 1.92%
2008 0.34% 1.9%
2009 0.34% 1.9%
2010 0.33% 1.9%
2011 0.33% 2.17%
2012 0.31% 3.39%
2013 0.3% 3.65%
2014 0.29% 3.53%
2015 0.28% 3.7%
2016 0.27% 3.22%
2017 0.26% 3.3%
2018 0.25% 3.26%
2019 0.25% 2.5%
2020 0.24% 2.24%
2021 0.24% 2.1%
2022 0.24% 2.11%
2023 0.24% 2.06%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Japan vs Syria
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