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Fertility & birth rates in Laos and Malawi

Updated on by Georank team

Laos has an annual birth rate of 21.3 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 2.42 in Laos and 3.65 in Malawi — 50.7% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -61.5% in Laos and by -48.2% in Malawi — in 1960, it was 6.29 and 7.04, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Laos is ranked 65/196 by birth rate compared to 25/196 for Malawi.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 26.1 in Laos — it's 27.6 in Malawi.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 81.7 in Laos vs 113.6 in Malawi.
  • In Laos, 27% 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 +1.51% in Laos and +2.6% in Malawi.

Birth rate data compared

Laos Malawi
Fertility rate 2.42 3.65
Birth rate 21.3 31.4
Birth rate rank 65/196 25/196
Age at first childbirth n/a 19.1 years
Average age at childbearing 26.1 years 27.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 81.9 112.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 133.3 171.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 22 51.6
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 27% 26.2%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 51% 64.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 64.4% 96.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.11% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2% 1.88%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.52% 2.94%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 3.9% 3.83%
Population change due to births and deaths +115,359 +549,096
Natural population change rank 75/196 35/196
Natural population change rate +1.51% +2.6%
Population growth +1.37% +2.61%
Population growth rank 80/197 27/197
Life expectancy 69.5 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Laos vs Malawi chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Laos was 2.42 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 Laos vs Malawi population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Laos
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Laos Malawi
1960 6.29 7.04
1961 6.31 7.07
1962 6.31 7.1
1963 6.32 7.13
1964 6.31 7.11
1965 6.32 7.13
1966 6.31 7.17
1967 6.31 7.21
1968 6.3 7.26
1969 6.3 7.27
1970 6.31 7.3
1971 6.3 7.31
1972 6.28 7.33
1973 6.28 7.34
1974 6.29 7.34
1975 6.29 7.36
1976 6.29 7.39
1977 6.29 7.41
1978 6.3 7.43
1979 6.31 7.47
1980 6.33 7.52
1981 6.35 7.49
1982 6.37 7.45
1983 6.38 7.36
1984 6.37 7.27
1985 6.33 7.17
1986 6.26 7.07
1987 6.21 6.97
1988 6.16 6.88
1989 6.1 6.8
1990 6.06 6.74
1991 5.99 6.68
1992 5.9 6.63
1993 5.8 6.57
1994 5.6 6.49
1995 5.36 6.39
1996 5.15 6.29
1997 4.96 6.23
1998 4.79 6.21
1999 4.64 6.12
2000 4.43 6
2001 4.29 5.94
2002 4.13 5.9
2003 4.02 5.88
2004 3.9 5.86
2005 3.69 5.85
2006 3.56 5.8
2007 3.44 5.72
2008 3.33 5.61
2009 3.23 5.45
2010 3.14 5.26
2011 3.05 5.08
2012 2.95 4.9
2013 2.87 4.76
2014 2.8 4.57
2015 2.8 4.38
2016 2.74 4.22
2017 2.69 4.11
2018 2.63 4.02
2019 2.59 3.95
2020 2.54 3.88
2021 2.49 3.79
2022 2.46 3.72
2023 2.42 3.65
2024 2.4 3.59
2025 2.36 3.53
2026 2.33 3.45
2027 2.3 3.39
2028 2.27 3.33
2029 2.24 3.29
2030 2.21 3.23
2031 2.19 3.18
2032 2.16 3.13
2033 2.14 3.09
2034 2.12 3.05
2035 2.1 3.01
2036 2.08 2.97
2037 2.06 2.93
2038 2.04 2.89
2039 2.03 2.86
2040 2.01 2.82
2041 1.99 2.79
2042 1.97 2.76
2043 1.96 2.73
2044 1.95 2.7
2045 1.94 2.67
2046 1.92 2.64
2047 1.91 2.61
2048 1.9 2.59
2049 1.89 2.57
2050 1.89 2.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Laos
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Laos Malawi
1960 41.8% 43.1%
1961 41.8% 42.9%
1962 41.9% 42.8%
1963 42% 42.9%
1964 42.1% 43%
1965 42.2% 43.2%
1966 42.2% 43.4%
1967 42.2% 43.7%
1968 42.2% 43.9%
1969 42.2% 44.2%
1970 42.2% 44.4%
1971 42.3% 44.6%
1972 42.4% 44.8%
1973 42.4% 44.9%
1974 42.5% 45.1%
1975 42.7% 45.2%
1976 43% 45.2%
1977 43.2% 45.3%
1978 43.5% 45.3%
1979 43.8% 45.3%
1980 43.9% 45.4%
1981 44% 45.4%
1982 44.1% 45.4%
1983 44.1% 45.5%
1984 44.1% 45.5%
1985 44% 45.4%
1986 44% 45.4%
1987 44% 45.1%
1988 43.9% 45%
1989 43.9% 45.2%
1990 43.9% 45.4%
1991 43.9% 45.6%
1992 43.9% 45.8%
1993 43.9% 46%
1994 44% 46.1%
1995 43.9% 46.1%
1996 43.9% 46.2%
1997 43.8% 46.2%
1998 43.7% 46.2%
1999 43.5% 46.2%
2000 43.2% 46.2%
2001 42.9% 46.1%
2002 42.5% 46.1%
2003 42% 46.1%
2004 41.5% 46%
2005 40.9% 46%
2006 40% 46.1%
2007 39% 46.1%
2008 38% 46.1%
2009 37.1% 46.2%
2010 36.3% 46.2%
2011 35.6% 46.2%
2012 34.9% 46.1%
2013 34.3% 46%
2014 33.7% 45.7%
2015 33.2% 45.4%
2016 32.9% 45.1%
2017 32.5% 44.6%
2018 32.2% 44.2%
2019 31.9% 43.7%
2020 31.6% 43.1%
2021 31.3% 42.5%
2022 30.9% 41.9%
2023 30.6% 41.3%
2024 30.2% 40.7%
2025 29.8% 40.1%
2026 29.5% 39.6%
2027 29.1% 39.1%
2028 28.8% 38.6%
2029 28.4% 38.1%
2030 27.9% 37.7%
2031 27.5% 37.4%
2032 27.1% 37%
2033 26.6% 36.7%
2034 26.2% 36.4%
2035 25.8% 36%
2036 25.5% 35.7%
2037 25.1% 35.3%
2038 24.8% 35%
2039 24.4% 34.6%
2040 24.1% 34.2%
2041 23.8% 33.9%
2042 23.5% 33.5%
2043 23.2% 33.1%
2044 22.9% 32.7%
2045 22.7% 32.3%
2046 22.4% 31.9%
2047 22.1% 31.5%
2048 21.9% 31.2%
2049 21.6% 30.8%
2050 21.4% 30.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 30.2% of the population in Laos and 40.7% in Malawi in 2024, compared to 43.9% and 45.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Laos and Malawi compared.

Natural population change in Laos vs Malawi by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +1.65% in Laos and +2.67% in Malawi. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Laos
Malawi

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Laos Malawi
1960 47,575 85,718
1961 48,992 89,091
1962 51,244 92,463
1963 51,056 95,933
1964 52,482 97,658
1965 54,268 100,040
1966 55,494 103,512
1967 57,763 106,668
1968 59,567 110,329
1969 61,595 113,120
1970 63,896 116,822
1971 65,959 121,015
1972 68,095 125,728
1973 70,513 131,529
1974 74,652 137,819
1975 76,725 145,254
1976 77,575 153,422
1977 79,149 161,930
1978 80,604 172,503
1979 82,852 182,123
1980 86,548 192,746
1981 89,963 199,436
1982 94,058 205,386
1983 98,178 209,422
1984 102,318 212,146
1985 106,047 216,179
1986 109,266 218,519
1987 113,005 220,566
1988 117,050 226,911
1989 121,044 237,967
1990 125,297 250,159
1991 129,523 260,193
1992 132,417 269,066
1993 135,295 276,538
1994 134,201 275,439
1995 132,241 266,745
1996 131,142 270,048
1997 130,388 277,433
1998 128,409 285,407
1999 127,255 295,629
2000 124,201 300,439
2001 123,847 310,833
2002 122,110 322,863
2003 122,158 341,133
2004 121,888 361,133
2005 118,165 381,130
2006 118,602 397,123
2007 119,980 410,290
2008 121,042 421,781
2009 122,174 434,811
2010 122,516 444,468
2011 122,863 454,149
2012 121,324 460,684
2013 119,845 470,293
2014 118,103 472,418
2015 118,723 472,484
2016 119,978 474,779
2017 120,515 484,655
2018 119,986 494,348
2019 119,797 506,104
2020 118,609 514,659
2021 115,323 517,400
2022 116,620 533,450
2023 115,359 549,096

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Laos vs Malawi

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 112 deaths per 100,000 live births in Laos, compared to 225 deaths in Malawi.

Laos
Malawi
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Laos Malawi
1985 994 1,115
1986 963 1,118
1987 930 1,123
1988 898 1,154
1989 856 1,136
1990 834 1,112
1991 798 1,080
1992 781 1,042
1993 751 1,000
1994 741 912
1995 709 782
1996 682 713
1997 660 672
1998 647 658
1999 638 576
2000 609 506
2001 574 447
2002 550 404
2003 524 346
2004 492 304
2005 458 283
2006 432 286
2007 402 333
2008 374 430
2009 336 512
2010 305 517
2011 267 486
2012 241 447
2013 215 410
2014 193 367
2015 180 354
2016 165 312
2017 154 284
2018 145 267
2019 137 260
2020 132 256
2021 139 286
2022 120 239
2023 112 225

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 3.9% in Laos and 3.83% in Malawi. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Laos
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
Laos Malawi
1961 - 35.9%
1962 - 35.8%
1963 - 35.7%
1964 - 35.5%
1965 - 35.4%
1966 - 35.3%
1967 - 35.1%
1968 - 35%
1969 - 34.7%
1970 - 34.4%
1971 - 33.9%
1972 - 33.2%
1973 - 32.4%
1974 - 31.5%
1975 - 30.6%
1976 - 29.7%
1977 - 28.7%
1978 21.7% 27.6%
1979 21.1% 26.5%
1980 20.6% 25.6%
1981 20% 24.9%
1982 19.5% 24.5%
1983 18.9% 24.5%
1984 18.4% 24.8%
1985 18% 25.1%
1986 17.4% 25.4%
1987 16.9% 25.5%
1988 16.4% 25.3%
1989 15.9% 24.9%
1990 15.4% 24.3%
1991 14.9% 23.6%
1992 14.4% 22.8%
1993 13.9% 22%
1994 13.4% 21.3%
1995 12.9% 20.7%
1996 12.5% 20.2%
1997 12% 19.7%
1998 11.6% 19.2%
1999 11.2% 18.4%
2000 10.8% 17.3%
2001 10.3% 16%
2002 9.91% 14.6%
2003 9.49% 13.2%
2004 9.08% 11.9%
2005 8.68% 11%
2006 8.27% 10.3%
2007 7.88% 9.83%
2008 7.5% 9.31%
2009 7.14% 8.81%
2010 6.8% 8.3%
2011 6.47% 7.67%
2012 6.15% 6.98%
2013 5.86% 6.4%
2014 5.58% 6.02%
2015 5.32% 5.67%
2016 5.09% 5.35%
2017 4.88% 5.06%
2018 4.68% 4.75%
2019 4.51% 4.55%
2020 4.34% 4.31%
2021 4.19% 4.15%
2022 4.04% 3.99%
2023 3.9% 3.83%

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Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Laos vs Malawi
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