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Fertility & birth rates in Kenya and Malawi

Updated on by Georank team

Kenya has an annual birth rate of 27.1 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 3.21 in Kenya and 3.65 in Malawi — 13.7% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -58.1% in Kenya and by -48.2% in Malawi — in 1960, it was 7.65 and 7.04, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Kenya is ranked 43/196 by birth rate compared to 25/196 for Malawi.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 20.3 years in Kenya, compared to 19.1 years in Malawi.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.2 in Kenya — it's 27.6 in Malawi.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 56.3 in Kenya vs 113.6 in Malawi.
  • In Kenya, 26.4% 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 +1.99% in Kenya and +2.6% in Malawi.

Birth rate data compared

Kenya Malawi
Fertility rate 3.21 3.65
Birth rate 27.1 31.4
Birth rate rank 43/196 25/196
Age at first childbirth 20.3 years 19.1 years
Average age at childbearing 28.2 years 27.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 52.8 112.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 167.9 171.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 46.7 51.6
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 26.4% 26.2%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 56.9% 64.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 70.2% 96.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.15% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.15% 1.88%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.47% 2.94%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 3.99% 3.83%
Population change due to births and deaths +1,100,970 +549,096
Natural population change rank 18/196 35/196
Natural population change rate +1.99% +2.6%
Population growth +1.98% +2.61%
Population growth rank 55/197 27/197
Life expectancy 64 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Kenya vs Malawi chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Kenya was 3.21 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 Kenya vs Malawi population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Kenya
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Kenya Malawi
1960 7.65 7.04
1961 7.72 7.07
1962 7.77 7.1
1963 7.82 7.13
1964 7.87 7.11
1965 7.92 7.13
1966 7.96 7.17
1967 7.95 7.21
1968 7.95 7.26
1969 7.95 7.27
1970 7.94 7.3
1971 7.92 7.31
1972 7.89 7.33
1973 7.86 7.34
1974 7.82 7.34
1975 7.8 7.36
1976 7.77 7.39
1977 7.73 7.41
1978 7.67 7.43
1979 7.6 7.47
1980 7.53 7.52
1981 7.45 7.49
1982 7.35 7.45
1983 7.22 7.36
1984 7.08 7.27
1985 6.96 7.17
1986 6.84 7.07
1987 6.69 6.97
1988 6.52 6.88
1989 6.33 6.8
1990 6.14 6.74
1991 5.94 6.68
1992 5.74 6.63
1993 5.57 6.57
1994 5.44 6.49
1995 5.37 6.39
1996 5.31 6.29
1997 5.27 6.23
1998 5.24 6.21
1999 5.18 6.12
2000 5.14 6
2001 5.09 5.94
2002 5.03 5.9
2003 4.94 5.88
2004 4.86 5.86
2005 4.8 5.85
2006 4.75 5.8
2007 4.72 5.72
2008 4.66 5.61
2009 4.57 5.45
2010 4.45 5.26
2011 4.28 5.08
2012 4.12 4.9
2013 3.96 4.76
2014 3.84 4.57
2015 3.77 4.38
2016 3.69 4.22
2017 3.61 4.11
2018 3.54 4.02
2019 3.43 3.95
2020 3.36 3.88
2021 3.31 3.79
2022 3.26 3.72
2023 3.21 3.65
2024 3.17 3.59
2025 3.12 3.53
2026 3.07 3.45
2027 3.03 3.39
2028 2.99 3.33
2029 2.95 3.29
2030 2.92 3.23
2031 2.89 3.18
2032 2.85 3.13
2033 2.82 3.09
2034 2.78 3.05
2035 2.75 3.01
2036 2.72 2.97
2037 2.69 2.93
2038 2.66 2.89
2039 2.63 2.86
2040 2.61 2.82
2041 2.58 2.79
2042 2.55 2.76
2043 2.53 2.73
2044 2.5 2.7
2045 2.47 2.67
2046 2.44 2.64
2047 2.42 2.61
2048 2.4 2.59
2049 2.38 2.57
2050 2.36 2.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Kenya
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Kenya Malawi
1960 48.7% 43.1%
1961 49.1% 42.9%
1962 49.4% 42.8%
1963 49.7% 42.9%
1964 49.8% 43%
1965 50.2% 43.2%
1966 50.6% 43.4%
1967 50.9% 43.7%
1968 51.2% 43.9%
1969 51.4% 44.2%
1970 51.6% 44.4%
1971 51.7% 44.6%
1972 51.9% 44.8%
1973 52% 44.9%
1974 52% 45.1%
1975 52% 45.2%
1976 52.1% 45.2%
1977 52% 45.3%
1978 51.9% 45.3%
1979 51.7% 45.3%
1980 51.5% 45.4%
1981 51.3% 45.4%
1982 51.1% 45.4%
1983 50.8% 45.5%
1984 50.6% 45.5%
1985 50.3% 45.4%
1986 50.1% 45.4%
1987 49.9% 45.1%
1988 49.7% 45%
1989 49.5% 45.2%
1990 49.2% 45.4%
1991 48.9% 45.6%
1992 48.7% 45.8%
1993 48.4% 46%
1994 48% 46.1%
1995 47.7% 46.1%
1996 47.4% 46.2%
1997 47.1% 46.2%
1998 46.8% 46.2%
1999 46.5% 46.2%
2000 46.1% 46.2%
2001 45.7% 46.1%
2002 45.3% 46.1%
2003 45% 46.1%
2004 44.6% 46%
2005 44.4% 46%
2006 44.2% 46.1%
2007 44% 46.1%
2008 43.9% 46.1%
2009 43.8% 46.2%
2010 43.6% 46.2%
2011 43.4% 46.2%
2012 43.2% 46.1%
2013 42.8% 46%
2014 42.4% 45.7%
2015 42% 45.4%
2016 41.5% 45.1%
2017 41% 44.6%
2018 40.5% 44.2%
2019 39.9% 43.7%
2020 39.3% 43.1%
2021 38.7% 42.5%
2022 38.1% 41.9%
2023 37.4% 41.3%
2024 36.8% 40.7%
2025 36.3% 40.1%
2026 35.7% 39.6%
2027 35.3% 39.1%
2028 34.9% 38.6%
2029 34.5% 38.1%
2030 34.2% 37.7%
2031 33.9% 37.4%
2032 33.6% 37%
2033 33.4% 36.7%
2034 33.2% 36.4%
2035 32.9% 36%
2036 32.7% 35.7%
2037 32.5% 35.3%
2038 32.2% 35%
2039 32% 34.6%
2040 31.7% 34.2%
2041 31.4% 33.9%
2042 31% 33.5%
2043 30.7% 33.1%
2044 30.4% 32.7%
2045 30% 32.3%
2046 29.7% 31.9%
2047 29.3% 31.5%
2048 28.9% 31.2%
2049 28.5% 30.8%
2050 28.2% 30.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 36.8% of the population in Kenya and 40.7% in Malawi in 2024, compared to 49.2% and 45.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Kenya and Malawi compared.

Natural population change in Kenya vs Malawi by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.16% in Kenya and +2.67% in Malawi. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Kenya
Malawi

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Kenya Malawi
1960 280,032 85,718
1961 298,463 89,091
1962 315,797 92,463
1963 332,763 95,933
1964 349,322 97,658
1965 366,444 100,040
1966 382,891 103,512
1967 396,920 106,668
1968 411,948 110,329
1969 427,819 113,120
1970 443,065 116,822
1971 459,897 121,015
1972 472,557 125,728
1973 485,556 131,529
1974 500,008 137,819
1975 517,579 145,254
1976 536,740 153,422
1977 554,124 161,930
1978 574,695 172,503
1979 595,390 182,123
1980 616,390 192,746
1981 642,379 199,436
1982 663,109 205,386
1983 684,587 209,422
1984 709,639 212,146
1985 732,739 216,179
1986 755,606 218,519
1987 775,124 220,566
1988 785,652 226,911
1989 795,622 237,967
1990 789,087 250,159
1991 790,030 260,193
1992 785,018 269,066
1993 788,579 276,538
1994 792,702 275,439
1995 812,391 266,745
1996 827,326 270,048
1997 847,493 277,433
1998 875,511 285,407
1999 898,484 295,629
2000 928,357 300,439
2001 963,721 310,833
2002 992,044 322,863
2003 1,018,182 341,133
2004 1,048,590 361,133
2005 1,080,446 381,130
2006 1,113,357 397,123
2007 1,147,063 410,290
2008 1,174,818 421,781
2009 1,193,598 434,811
2010 1,199,786 444,468
2011 1,185,863 454,149
2012 1,161,548 460,684
2013 1,136,006 470,293
2014 1,123,333 472,418
2015 1,119,200 472,484
2016 1,108,801 474,779
2017 1,105,769 484,655
2018 1,097,075 494,348
2019 1,071,777 506,104
2020 1,036,253 514,659
2021 1,037,082 517,400
2022 1,092,102 533,450
2023 1,100,970 549,096

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Kenya vs Malawi

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 149 deaths per 100,000 live births in Kenya, compared to 225 deaths in Malawi.

Kenya
Malawi
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Kenya Malawi
1985 1,375 1,115
1986 1,059 1,118
1987 960 1,123
1988 756 1,154
1989 663 1,136
1990 586 1,112
1991 493 1,080
1992 419 1,042
1993 363 1,000
1994 342 912
1995 308 782
1996 275 713
1997 253 672
1998 250 658
1999 217 576
2000 206 506
2001 188 447
2002 182 404
2003 177 346
2004 177 304
2005 178 283
2006 188 286
2007 198 333
2008 197 430
2009 208 512
2010 210 517
2011 209 486
2012 214 447
2013 206 410
2014 203 367
2015 203 354
2016 196 312
2017 186 284
2018 183 267
2019 176 260
2020 184 256
2021 183 286
2022 155 239
2023 149 225

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 3.99% in Kenya and 3.83% in Malawi. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Kenya
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
Kenya Malawi
1960 19.6% -
1961 18.8% 35.9%
1962 18.1% 35.8%
1963 17.5% 35.7%
1964 17% 35.5%
1965 16.6% 35.4%
1966 16.3% 35.3%
1967 16% 35.1%
1968 15.7% 35%
1969 15.4% 34.7%
1970 15% 34.4%
1971 14.7% 33.9%
1972 14.3% 33.2%
1973 14% 32.4%
1974 13.5% 31.5%
1975 13.1% 30.6%
1976 12.7% 29.7%
1977 12.2% 28.7%
1978 11.8% 27.6%
1979 11.4% 26.5%
1980 11% 25.6%
1981 10.6% 24.9%
1982 10.3% 24.5%
1983 9.98% 24.5%
1984 9.74% 24.8%
1985 9.57% 25.1%
1986 9.49% 25.4%
1987 9.51% 25.5%
1988 9.63% 25.3%
1989 9.85% 24.9%
1990 10.1% 24.3%
1991 10.5% 23.6%
1992 10.7% 22.8%
1993 10.9% 22%
1994 11% 21.3%
1995 11% 20.7%
1996 10.9% 20.2%
1997 10.7% 19.7%
1998 10.4% 19.2%
1999 10.1% 18.4%
2000 9.63% 17.3%
2001 9.16% 16%
2002 8.66% 14.6%
2003 8.16% 13.2%
2004 7.66% 11.9%
2005 7.15% 11%
2006 6.71% 10.3%
2007 6.32% 9.83%
2008 5.82% 9.31%
2009 5.54% 8.81%
2010 5.35% 8.3%
2011 5.22% 7.67%
2012 5.12% 6.98%
2013 5% 6.4%
2014 4.88% 6.02%
2015 4.74% 5.67%
2016 4.6% 5.35%
2017 4.53% 5.06%
2018 4.43% 4.75%
2019 4.33% 4.55%
2020 4.28% 4.31%
2021 4.19% 4.15%
2022 4.11% 3.99%
2023 3.99% 3.83%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Kenya vs Malawi
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