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Fertility & birth rates in Liberia and Malawi

Updated on by Georank team

Liberia has an annual birth rate of 31 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 3.95 in Liberia and 3.65 in Malawi — 7.65% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -38.2% in Liberia and by -48.2% in Malawi — in 1960, it was 6.39 and 7.04, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Liberia is ranked 27/196 by birth rate compared to 25/196 for Malawi.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 19.1 years in Liberia, compared to 19.1 years in Malawi.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.2 in Liberia — it's 27.6 in Malawi.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 126 in Liberia vs 113.6 in Malawi.
  • In Liberia, 24.7% 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 +2.29% in Liberia and +2.6% in Malawi.

Birth rate data compared

Liberia Malawi
Fertility rate 3.95 3.65
Birth rate 31 31.4
Birth rate rank 27/196 25/196
Age at first childbirth 19.1 years 19.1 years
Average age at childbearing 28.2 years 27.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 123.8 112.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 164.1 171.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 53.7 51.6
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24.7% 26.2%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 23.9% 64.7%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 84.4% 96.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.63% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.96% 1.88%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 5.26% 2.94%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 7.29% 3.83%
Population change due to births and deaths +125,730 +549,096
Natural population change rank 73/196 35/196
Natural population change rate +2.29% +2.6%
Population growth +2.18% +2.61%
Population growth rank 45/197 27/197
Life expectancy 62.5 years 67.7 years

Fertility rate in Liberia vs Malawi chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Liberia was 3.95 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 Liberia vs Malawi population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Liberia
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Liberia Malawi
1960 6.39 7.04
1961 6.45 7.07
1962 6.5 7.1
1963 6.56 7.13
1964 6.59 7.11
1965 6.62 7.13
1966 6.63 7.17
1967 6.65 7.21
1968 6.66 7.26
1969 6.64 7.27
1970 6.58 7.3
1971 6.54 7.31
1972 6.6 7.33
1973 6.65 7.34
1974 6.69 7.34
1975 6.74 7.36
1976 6.79 7.39
1977 6.84 7.41
1978 6.88 7.43
1979 6.92 7.47
1980 6.87 7.52
1981 6.83 7.49
1982 6.79 7.45
1983 6.76 7.36
1984 6.73 7.27
1985 6.69 7.17
1986 6.64 7.07
1987 6.57 6.97
1988 6.51 6.88
1989 6.43 6.8
1990 6.37 6.74
1991 6.32 6.68
1992 6.28 6.63
1993 6.25 6.57
1994 6.21 6.49
1995 6.17 6.39
1996 6.13 6.29
1997 6.08 6.23
1998 6.02 6.21
1999 5.95 6.12
2000 5.88 6
2001 5.77 5.94
2002 5.65 5.9
2003 5.55 5.88
2004 5.51 5.86
2005 5.52 5.85
2006 5.53 5.8
2007 5.46 5.72
2008 5.33 5.61
2009 5.17 5.45
2010 5.06 5.26
2011 4.97 5.08
2012 4.88 4.9
2013 4.75 4.76
2014 4.62 4.57
2015 4.52 4.38
2016 4.46 4.22
2017 4.4 4.11
2018 4.34 4.02
2019 4.26 3.95
2020 4.17 3.88
2021 4.09 3.79
2022 4.02 3.72
2023 3.95 3.65
2024 3.86 3.59
2025 3.79 3.53
2026 3.71 3.45
2027 3.64 3.39
2028 3.57 3.33
2029 3.51 3.29
2030 3.43 3.23
2031 3.38 3.18
2032 3.31 3.13
2033 3.25 3.09
2034 3.2 3.05
2035 3.15 3.01
2036 3.11 2.97
2037 3.06 2.93
2038 3.02 2.89
2039 2.98 2.86
2040 2.94 2.82
2041 2.91 2.79
2042 2.87 2.76
2043 2.83 2.73
2044 2.8 2.7
2045 2.77 2.67
2046 2.73 2.64
2047 2.7 2.61
2048 2.68 2.59
2049 2.65 2.57
2050 2.62 2.54

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Liberia
Factual

UN forecast
Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Liberia Malawi
1960 41.1% 43.1%
1961 41.1% 42.9%
1962 41.2% 42.8%
1963 41.4% 42.9%
1964 41.7% 43%
1965 42% 43.2%
1966 42.2% 43.4%
1967 42.4% 43.7%
1968 42.6% 43.9%
1969 42.8% 44.2%
1970 42.9% 44.4%
1971 43% 44.6%
1972 43.2% 44.8%
1973 43.3% 44.9%
1974 43.4% 45.1%
1975 43.5% 45.2%
1976 43.6% 45.2%
1977 43.7% 45.3%
1978 43.8% 45.3%
1979 43.9% 45.3%
1980 44% 45.4%
1981 44.1% 45.4%
1982 44.2% 45.4%
1983 44.2% 45.5%
1984 44.2% 45.5%
1985 44.2% 45.4%
1986 44.3% 45.4%
1987 44.3% 45.1%
1988 44.2% 45%
1989 44.1% 45.2%
1990 44.1% 45.4%
1991 44.2% 45.6%
1992 44.1% 45.8%
1993 43.9% 46%
1994 43.8% 46.1%
1995 43.6% 46.1%
1996 43.4% 46.2%
1997 43.3% 46.2%
1998 43.2% 46.2%
1999 43.1% 46.2%
2000 43% 46.2%
2001 43% 46.1%
2002 42.9% 46.1%
2003 42.9% 46.1%
2004 42.9% 46%
2005 43% 46%
2006 43.1% 46.1%
2007 43.2% 46.1%
2008 43.2% 46.1%
2009 43.1% 46.2%
2010 43.1% 46.2%
2011 42.7% 46.2%
2012 42.4% 46.1%
2013 42.5% 46%
2014 42.5% 45.7%
2015 42.4% 45.4%
2016 42.3% 45.1%
2017 42.1% 44.6%
2018 42% 44.2%
2019 41.7% 43.7%
2020 41.4% 43.1%
2021 41% 42.5%
2022 40.5% 41.9%
2023 40% 41.3%
2024 39.5% 40.7%
2025 39.1% 40.1%
2026 38.6% 39.6%
2027 38.1% 39.1%
2028 37.7% 38.6%
2029 37.2% 38.1%
2030 36.9% 37.7%
2031 36.5% 37.4%
2032 36.2% 37%
2033 35.8% 36.7%
2034 35.5% 36.4%
2035 35.2% 36%
2036 34.9% 35.7%
2037 34.5% 35.3%
2038 34.2% 35%
2039 33.9% 34.6%
2040 33.6% 34.2%
2041 33.2% 33.9%
2042 32.9% 33.5%
2043 32.6% 33.1%
2044 32.3% 32.7%
2045 32% 32.3%
2046 31.6% 31.9%
2047 31.3% 31.5%
2048 31% 31.2%
2049 30.7% 30.8%
2050 30.4% 30.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 39.5% of the population in Liberia and 40.7% in Malawi in 2024, compared to 44.1% and 45.4% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Liberia and Malawi compared.

Natural population change in Liberia vs Malawi by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.41% in Liberia and +2.67% in Malawi. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Liberia
Malawi

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Liberia Malawi
1960 25,713 85,718
1961 26,670 89,091
1962 27,679 92,463
1963 28,708 95,933
1964 29,592 97,658
1965 30,618 100,040
1966 31,454 103,512
1967 32,519 106,668
1968 33,536 110,329
1969 34,677 113,120
1970 35,196 116,822
1971 36,015 121,015
1972 37,860 125,728
1973 39,694 131,529
1974 41,499 137,819
1975 43,478 145,254
1976 45,528 153,422
1977 47,582 161,930
1978 49,813 172,503
1979 52,125 182,123
1980 53,452 192,746
1981 55,003 199,436
1982 56,127 205,386
1983 57,562 209,422
1984 59,460 212,146
1985 59,988 216,179
1986 61,924 218,519
1987 62,147 220,566
1988 62,703 226,911
1989 63,238 237,967
1990 52,770 250,159
1991 47,426 260,193
1992 50,204 269,066
1993 51,609 276,538
1994 52,101 275,439
1995 53,407 266,745
1996 56,392 270,048
1997 61,444 277,433
1998 72,146 285,407
1999 78,130 295,629
2000 83,143 300,439
2001 86,217 310,833
2002 88,643 322,863
2003 87,534 341,133
2004 91,755 361,133
2005 96,478 381,130
2006 104,099 397,123
2007 109,165 410,290
2008 112,032 421,781
2009 113,429 434,811
2010 114,249 444,468
2011 115,496 454,149
2012 121,973 460,684
2013 120,138 470,293
2014 116,667 472,418
2015 115,479 472,484
2016 118,852 474,779
2017 119,376 484,655
2018 120,231 494,348
2019 120,635 506,104
2020 120,632 514,659
2021 121,038 517,400
2022 123,747 533,450
2023 125,730 549,096

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Liberia vs Malawi

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 628 deaths per 100,000 live births in Liberia, compared to 225 deaths in Malawi.

Liberia
Malawi
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Liberia Malawi
1985 1,749 1,115
1986 1,678 1,118
1987 1,655 1,123
1988 1,647 1,154
1989 1,633 1,136
1990 2,146 1,112
1991 1,627 1,080
1992 1,643 1,042
1993 1,709 1,000
1994 1,811 912
1995 1,530 782
1996 1,438 713
1997 1,043 672
1998 962 658
1999 852 576
2000 786 506
2001 720 447
2002 700 404
2003 759 346
2004 645 304
2005 619 283
2006 647 286
2007 659 333
2008 663 430
2009 674 512
2010 712 517
2011 726 486
2012 728 447
2013 725 410
2014 801 367
2015 784 354
2016 690 312
2017 703 284
2018 707 267
2019 689 260
2020 664 256
2021 667 286
2022 634 239
2023 628 225

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 7.29% in Liberia and 3.83% in Malawi. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Liberia
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
Liberia Malawi
1960 31.3% -
1961 31.3% 35.9%
1962 31.3% 35.8%
1963 31.2% 35.7%
1964 31.1% 35.5%
1965 30.8% 35.4%
1966 30.6% 35.3%
1967 30.2% 35.1%
1968 29.8% 35%
1969 29.3% 34.7%
1970 28.8% 34.4%
1971 28.3% 33.9%
1972 27.8% 33.2%
1973 27.4% 32.4%
1974 26.9% 31.5%
1975 26.5% 30.6%
1976 26% 29.7%
1977 25.6% 28.7%
1978 25.3% 27.6%
1979 24.9% 26.5%
1980 24.6% 25.6%
1981 24.3% 24.9%
1982 24.1% 24.5%
1983 24% 24.5%
1984 24.1% 24.8%
1985 24.3% 25.1%
1986 24.7% 25.4%
1987 25.2% 25.5%
1988 25.8% 25.3%
1989 26.4% 24.9%
1990 26.8% 24.3%
1991 27% 23.6%
1992 26.9% 22.8%
1993 26.6% 22%
1994 25.9% 21.3%
1995 25.1% 20.7%
1996 24.1% 20.2%
1997 23% 19.7%
1998 21.8% 19.2%
1999 20.5% 18.4%
2000 19.2% 17.3%
2001 17.9% 16%
2002 16.7% 14.6%
2003 15.4% 13.2%
2004 14.3% 11.9%
2005 13.3% 11%
2006 12.5% 10.3%
2007 11.8% 9.83%
2008 11.3% 9.31%
2009 10.8% 8.81%
2010 10.4% 8.3%
2011 10.1% 7.67%
2012 9.82% 6.98%
2013 9.54% 6.4%
2014 9.5% 6.02%
2015 9.08% 5.67%
2016 8.83% 5.35%
2017 8.6% 5.06%
2018 8.4% 4.75%
2019 8.19% 4.55%
2020 7.97% 4.31%
2021 7.74% 4.15%
2022 7.51% 3.99%
2023 7.29% 3.83%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Liberia vs Malawi
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