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Fertility & birth rates in Malawi and Norway

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has an annual birth rate of 31.4 births per 1,000 people, compared to 9.4 for Norway. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.65 in Malawi and 1.4 in Norway — 61.6% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -48.2% in Malawi and by -50.9% in Norway — in 1960, it was 7.04 and 2.85, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Malawi is ranked 25/196 by birth rate compared to 156/196 for Norway.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 19.1 years in Malawi, compared to 30.1 years in Norway.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 27.6 in Malawi — it's 31.7 in Norway.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 113.6 in Malawi vs 1.41 in Norway.
  • In Malawi, 26.2% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 22.4% in Norway.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.6% in Malawi and +0.15% in Norway.

Birth rate data compared

Malawi Norway
Fertility rate 3.65 1.4
Birth rate 31.4 9.4
Birth rate rank 25/196 156/196
Age at first childbirth 19.1 years 30.1 years
Average age at childbearing 27.6 years 31.7 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 112.9 1.17
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 171.4 52.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 51.6 18.6
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 26.2% 22.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 64.7% 69.2%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 96.4% 99.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.23% 0.001%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 1.88% 0.13%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 2.94% 0.19%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 3.83% 0.24%
Population change due to births and deaths +549,096 +8,280
Natural population change rank 35/196 118/196
Natural population change rate +2.6% +0.15%
Population growth +2.61% +0.95%
Population growth rank 27/197 107/197
Life expectancy 67.7 years 83.6 years

Fertility rate in Malawi vs Norway chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Malawi was 3.65 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.4 in Norway in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Malawi vs Norway population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Norway
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Malawi Norway
1960 7.04 2.85
1961 7.07 2.94
1962 7.1 2.91
1963 7.13 2.93
1964 7.11 2.98
1965 7.13 2.94
1966 7.17 2.9
1967 7.21 2.81
1968 7.26 2.75
1969 7.27 2.7
1970 7.3 2.5
1971 7.31 2.49
1972 7.33 2.38
1973 7.34 2.23
1974 7.34 2.13
1975 7.36 1.98
1976 7.39 1.86
1977 7.41 1.75
1978 7.43 1.77
1979 7.47 1.75
1980 7.52 1.72
1981 7.49 1.7
1982 7.45 1.71
1983 7.36 1.66
1984 7.27 1.66
1985 7.17 1.68
1986 7.07 1.71
1987 6.97 1.74
1988 6.88 1.84
1989 6.8 1.89
1990 6.74 1.93
1991 6.68 1.92
1992 6.63 1.88
1993 6.57 1.86
1994 6.49 1.87
1995 6.39 1.87
1996 6.29 1.89
1997 6.23 1.86
1998 6.21 1.81
1999 6.12 1.85
2000 6 1.85
2001 5.94 1.78
2002 5.9 1.75
2003 5.88 1.8
2004 5.86 1.83
2005 5.85 1.84
2006 5.8 1.9
2007 5.72 1.9
2008 5.61 1.96
2009 5.45 1.98
2010 5.26 1.95
2011 5.08 1.88
2012 4.9 1.85
2013 4.76 1.78
2014 4.57 1.75
2015 4.38 1.72
2016 4.22 1.71
2017 4.11 1.62
2018 4.02 1.56
2019 3.95 1.53
2020 3.88 1.48
2021 3.79 1.55
2022 3.72 1.41
2023 3.65 1.4
2024 3.59 1.41
2025 3.53 1.41
2026 3.45 1.41
2027 3.39 1.42
2028 3.33 1.42
2029 3.29 1.43
2030 3.23 1.43
2031 3.18 1.43
2032 3.13 1.44
2033 3.09 1.44
2034 3.05 1.45
2035 3.01 1.45
2036 2.97 1.45
2037 2.93 1.46
2038 2.89 1.46
2039 2.86 1.46
2040 2.82 1.47
2041 2.79 1.47
2042 2.76 1.47
2043 2.73 1.48
2044 2.7 1.48
2045 2.67 1.48
2046 2.64 1.48
2047 2.61 1.48
2048 2.59 1.49
2049 2.57 1.49
2050 2.54 1.49

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Malawi
Factual

UN forecast
Norway
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Malawi Norway
1960 43.1% 25.9%
1961 42.9% 25.6%
1962 42.8% 25.2%
1963 42.9% 25%
1964 43% 24.8%
1965 43.2% 24.8%
1966 43.4% 24.7%
1967 43.7% 24.7%
1968 43.9% 24.6%
1969 44.2% 24.5%
1970 44.4% 24.5%
1971 44.6% 24.4%
1972 44.8% 24.3%
1973 44.9% 24.2%
1974 45.1% 24%
1975 45.2% 23.8%
1976 45.2% 23.5%
1977 45.3% 23.3%
1978 45.3% 22.9%
1979 45.3% 22.6%
1980 45.4% 22.2%
1981 45.4% 21.8%
1982 45.4% 21.3%
1983 45.5% 20.9%
1984 45.5% 20.4%
1985 45.4% 20%
1986 45.4% 19.6%
1987 45.1% 19.3%
1988 45% 19.1%
1989 45.2% 19%
1990 45.4% 18.9%
1991 45.6% 19%
1992 45.8% 19.1%
1993 46% 19.3%
1994 46.1% 19.4%
1995 46.1% 19.5%
1996 46.2% 19.6%
1997 46.2% 19.7%
1998 46.2% 19.8%
1999 46.2% 19.9%
2000 46.2% 20%
2001 46.1% 20%
2002 46.1% 20%
2003 46.1% 19.9%
2004 46% 19.8%
2005 46% 19.6%
2006 46.1% 19.4%
2007 46.1% 19.3%
2008 46.1% 19.1%
2009 46.2% 18.9%
2010 46.2% 18.8%
2011 46.2% 18.6%
2012 46.1% 18.4%
2013 46% 18.3%
2014 45.7% 18.1%
2015 45.4% 18%
2016 45.1% 17.9%
2017 44.6% 17.8%
2018 44.2% 17.6%
2019 43.7% 17.4%
2020 43.1% 17.2%
2021 42.5% 17%
2022 41.9% 16.8%
2023 41.3% 16.5%
2024 40.7% 16.2%
2025 40.1% 15.9%
2026 39.6% 15.7%
2027 39.1% 15.4%
2028 38.6% 15.2%
2029 38.1% 15%
2030 37.7% 14.8%
2031 37.4% 14.7%
2032 37% 14.5%
2033 36.7% 14.4%
2034 36.4% 14.3%
2035 36% 14.2%
2036 35.7% 14.1%
2037 35.3% 14%
2038 35% 14%
2039 34.6% 14%
2040 34.2% 13.9%
2041 33.9% 13.9%
2042 33.5% 13.9%
2043 33.1% 13.9%
2044 32.7% 13.9%
2045 32.3% 13.9%
2046 31.9% 13.9%
2047 31.5% 13.9%
2048 31.2% 13.9%
2049 30.8% 13.9%
2050 30.5% 13.9%

Children aged 0-14 make up 40.7% of the population in Malawi and 16.2% in Norway in 2024, compared to 45.4% and 18.9% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Malawi and Norway compared.

Natural population change in Malawi vs Norway by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.67% in Malawi and +0.26% in Norway. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Malawi
Norway

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Malawi Norway
1960 85,718 29,366
1961 89,091 29,239
1962 92,463 28,020
1963 95,933 26,766
1964 97,658 30,293
1965 100,040 31,275
1966 103,512 31,150
1967 106,668 30,276
1968 110,329 29,387
1969 113,120 28,858
1970 116,822 25,968
1971 121,015 26,541
1972 125,728 24,777
1973 131,529 21,387
1974 137,819 20,324
1975 145,254 16,430
1976 153,422 13,286
1977 161,930 11,321
1978 172,503 11,364
1979 182,123 10,181
1980 192,746 9,806
1981 199,436 9,020
1982 205,386 9,875
1983 209,422 7,844
1984 212,146 7,452
1985 216,179 6,644
1986 218,519 8,751
1987 220,566 9,212
1988 226,911 12,207
1989 237,967 13,949
1990 250,159 14,845
1991 260,193 16,194
1992 269,066 15,431
1993 276,538 12,936
1994 275,439 16,045
1995 266,745 14,821
1996 270,048 17,087
1997 277,433 15,418
1998 285,407 14,181
1999 295,629 14,278
2000 300,439 15,269
2001 310,833 13,090
2002 322,863 10,892
2003 341,133 14,151
2004 361,133 15,612
2005 381,130 15,719
2006 397,123 17,244
2007 410,290 16,482
2008 421,781 19,073
2009 434,811 20,280
2010 444,468 20,046
2011 454,149 18,822
2012 460,684 18,066
2013 470,293 17,779
2014 472,418 18,494
2015 472,484 18,160
2016 474,779 17,797
2017 484,655 15,831
2018 494,348 14,342
2019 506,104 13,904
2020 514,659 12,372
2021 517,400 14,062
2022 533,450 5,457
2023 549,096 8,280

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Malawi vs Norway

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 225 deaths per 100,000 live births in Malawi, compared to 1 deaths in Norway.

Malawi
Norway
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Malawi Norway
1985 1,115 9
1986 1,118 9
1987 1,123 9
1988 1,154 9
1989 1,136 9
1990 1,112 9
1991 1,080 8
1992 1,042 8
1993 1,000 7
1994 912 7
1995 782 6
1996 713 6
1997 672 5
1998 658 5
1999 576 5
2000 506 5
2001 447 5
2002 404 5
2003 346 5
2004 304 6
2005 283 6
2006 286 5
2007 333 5
2008 430 5
2009 512 4
2010 517 4
2011 486 4
2012 447 3
2013 410 3
2014 367 2
2015 354 2
2016 312 2
2017 284 2
2018 267 2
2019 260 2
2020 256 2
2021 286 2
2022 239 3
2023 225 1

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 3.83% in Malawi and 0.24% in Norway. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Malawi
Norway

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
Malawi Norway
1960 - 2.26%
1961 35.9% 2.21%
1962 35.8% 2.15%
1963 35.7% 2.1%
1964 35.5% 2.04%
1965 35.4% 1.97%
1966 35.3% 1.9%
1967 35.1% 1.82%
1968 35% 1.75%
1969 34.7% 1.69%
1970 34.4% 1.62%
1971 33.9% 1.56%
1972 33.2% 1.5%
1973 32.4% 1.43%
1974 31.5% 1.36%
1975 30.6% 1.29%
1976 29.7% 1.22%
1977 28.7% 1.15%
1978 27.6% 1.09%
1979 26.5% 1.04%
1980 25.6% 1.01%
1981 24.9% 0.99%
1982 24.5% 0.99%
1983 24.5% 1%
1984 24.8% 1.01%
1985 25.1% 1.02%
1986 25.4% 1.02%
1987 25.5% 1.01%
1988 25.3% 0.98%
1989 24.9% 0.93%
1990 24.3% 0.87%
1991 23.6% 0.79%
1992 22.8% 0.72%
1993 22% 0.66%
1994 21.3% 0.61%
1995 20.7% 0.57%
1996 20.2% 0.54%
1997 19.7% 0.52%
1998 19.2% 0.51%
1999 18.4% 0.5%
2000 17.3% 0.49%
2001 16% 0.47%
2002 14.6% 0.46%
2003 13.2% 0.44%
2004 11.9% 0.42%
2005 11% 0.41%
2006 10.3% 0.39%
2007 9.83% 0.37%
2008 9.31% 0.36%
2009 8.81% 0.34%
2010 8.3% 0.33%
2011 7.67% 0.31%
2012 6.98% 0.3%
2013 6.4% 0.29%
2014 6.02% 0.28%
2015 5.67% 0.27%
2016 5.35% 0.26%
2017 5.06% 0.25%
2018 4.75% 0.25%
2019 4.55% 0.24%
2020 4.31% 0.24%
2021 4.15% 0.23%
2022 3.99% 0.23%
2023 3.83% 0.24%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Malawi vs Norway
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