Skip to content

Fertility & birth rates in Samoa and Vanuatu

Updated on by Georank team

Samoa has an annual birth rate of 25.4 births per 1,000 people, compared to 28.1 for Vanuatu. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.83 in Samoa and 3.6 in Vanuatu — 6.09% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -50.8% in Samoa and by -47% in Vanuatu — in 1960, it was 7.78 and 6.78, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Samoa is ranked 53/196 by birth rate compared to 40/196 for Vanuatu.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.2 in Samoa — it's 28 in Vanuatu.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 43.5 in Samoa vs 66.2 in Vanuatu.
  • In Samoa, 22.1% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 24.3% in Vanuatu.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +1.92% in Samoa and +2.3% in Vanuatu.

Birth rate data compared

Samoa Vanuatu
Fertility rate 3.83 3.6
Birth rate 25.4 28.1
Birth rate rank 53/196 40/196
Age at first childbirth 23.6 years n/a
Average age at childbearing 29.2 years 28 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 43.6 65.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 192.3 189
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 47.4 49.9
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 22.1% 24.3%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 15.8% 37.1%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 88.9% 89.4%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.1% 0.1%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.62% 0.87%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 1.28% 1.42%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 1.57% 1.68%
Population change due to births and deaths +4,170 +7,359
Natural population change rank 131/196 121/196
Natural population change rate +1.92% +2.3%
Population growth +0.63% +2.3%
Population growth rank 126/197 40/197
Life expectancy 71.9 years 71.8 years

Fertility rate in Samoa vs Vanuatu chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Samoa was 3.83 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.6 in Vanuatu in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Samoa vs Vanuatu population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Samoa
Factual

UN forecast
Vanuatu
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Samoa Vanuatu
1960 7.78 6.78
1961 7.77 6.73
1962 7.76 6.67
1963 7.73 6.62
1964 7.7 6.57
1965 7.65 6.52
1966 7.6 6.51
1967 7.55 6.51
1968 7.5 6.46
1969 7.43 6.41
1970 7.34 6.35
1971 7.22 6.29
1972 7.07 6.23
1973 6.91 6.15
1974 6.75 6.06
1975 6.61 5.98
1976 6.47 5.89
1977 6.31 5.81
1978 6.15 5.77
1979 5.99 5.73
1980 5.86 5.69
1981 5.75 5.65
1982 5.68 5.6
1983 5.62 5.55
1984 5.55 5.49
1985 5.49 5.43
1986 5.42 5.38
1987 5.32 5.33
1988 5.21 5.27
1989 5.11 5.21
1990 5.01 5.17
1991 4.91 5.13
1992 4.87 5.09
1993 4.83 5.02
1994 4.79 4.94
1995 4.77 4.85
1996 4.74 4.75
1997 4.7 4.66
1998 4.64 4.6
1999 4.57 4.56
2000 4.52 4.54
2001 4.48 4.5
2002 4.44 4.38
2003 4.39 4.29
2004 4.34 4.21
2005 4.32 4.13
2006 4.32 4.1
2007 4.36 4.12
2008 4.42 4.16
2009 4.47 4.16
2010 4.52 4.13
2011 4.56 4.09
2012 4.55 4.06
2013 4.49 4.04
2014 4.42 4
2015 4.34 3.95
2016 4.26 3.92
2017 4.2 3.88
2018 4.14 3.83
2019 4.06 3.79
2020 4 3.74
2021 3.94 3.7
2022 3.88 3.65
2023 3.83 3.6
2024 3.8 3.57
2025 3.75 3.53
2026 3.7 3.5
2027 3.66 3.46
2028 3.62 3.42
2029 3.58 3.39
2030 3.54 3.35
2031 3.5 3.32
2032 3.46 3.28
2033 3.42 3.25
2034 3.39 3.21
2035 3.35 3.18
2036 3.31 3.15
2037 3.27 3.13
2038 3.24 3.1
2039 3.21 3.08
2040 3.17 3.05
2041 3.13 3.03
2042 3.1 3
2043 3.06 2.97
2044 3.04 2.94
2045 3.01 2.92
2046 2.98 2.9
2047 2.95 2.88
2048 2.92 2.85
2049 2.89 2.83
2050 2.86 2.8

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Samoa
Factual

UN forecast
Vanuatu
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Samoa Vanuatu
1960 50.1% 44.6%
1961 50.2% 44.8%
1962 50.6% 45.1%
1963 50.9% 45.2%
1964 51.2% 45.4%
1965 51.3% 45.5%
1966 51.3% 45.7%
1967 51.4% 45.8%
1968 51.4% 45.8%
1969 51.4% 45.8%
1970 51.2% 45.7%
1971 51% 45.7%
1972 50.8% 45.6%
1973 50.4% 45.5%
1974 49.9% 45.5%
1975 49.3% 45.4%
1976 48.6% 45.2%
1977 48% 45.1%
1978 47.4% 45%
1979 46.9% 44.5%
1980 46.4% 44%
1981 45.9% 43.9%
1982 45.2% 44%
1983 44.4% 44%
1984 43.7% 44.1%
1985 43.1% 44.2%
1986 42.6% 44.2%
1987 42.2% 44.1%
1988 42% 44.1%
1989 41.8% 44%
1990 41.5% 43.9%
1991 41.2% 43.9%
1992 40.8% 44.1%
1993 40.3% 44.8%
1994 40% 45.2%
1995 39.9% 45%
1996 39.9% 44.8%
1997 40.1% 44.4%
1998 40.2% 44%
1999 40.3% 43.5%
2000 40.5% 42.9%
2001 40.7% 42.4%
2002 40.5% 41.8%
2003 40.2% 41.3%
2004 39.9% 40.7%
2005 39.6% 40.2%
2006 39.4% 39.6%
2007 39% 39.2%
2008 38.7% 38.8%
2009 38.5% 38.5%
2010 38.4% 38.2%
2011 38.4% 38.1%
2012 38.3% 38.2%
2013 38.1% 38.2%
2014 38.1% 38.4%
2015 38.1% 38.5%
2016 38.1% 38.7%
2017 38.2% 38.8%
2018 38.3% 38.9%
2019 38.5% 39%
2020 38.6% 39%
2021 38.7% 39%
2022 38.8% 38.8%
2023 38.7% 38.6%
2024 38.5% 38.3%
2025 38.1% 38%
2026 37.5% 37.6%
2027 36.9% 37.1%
2028 36.3% 36.7%
2029 35.8% 36.2%
2030 35.2% 35.8%
2031 34.7% 35.3%
2032 34.2% 34.9%
2033 33.7% 34.5%
2034 33.3% 34.1%
2035 33% 33.7%
2036 32.7% 33.4%
2037 32.6% 33.2%
2038 32.6% 32.9%
2039 32.7% 32.7%
2040 32.7% 32.5%
2041 32.8% 32.3%
2042 32.9% 32.2%
2043 33% 32%
2044 33.1% 31.8%
2045 33.1% 31.6%
2046 33.1% 31.5%
2047 33% 31.3%
2048 32.9% 31.1%
2049 32.7% 30.9%
2050 32.5% 30.6%

Children aged 0-14 make up 38.5% of the population in Samoa and 38.3% in Vanuatu in 2024, compared to 41.5% and 43.9% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Samoa and Vanuatu compared.

Natural population change in Samoa vs Vanuatu by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.18% in Samoa and +2.53% in Vanuatu. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Samoa
Vanuatu

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Samoa Vanuatu
1960 4,298 1,796
1961 4,399 1,872
1962 4,498 1,947
1963 4,544 2,025
1964 4,326 2,098
1965 4,605 2,180
1966 4,593 2,278
1967 4,621 2,384
1968 4,605 2,470
1969 4,592 2,529
1970 4,567 2,597
1971 4,534 2,685
1972 4,487 2,775
1973 4,446 2,876
1974 4,411 2,968
1975 4,465 3,074
1976 4,519 3,174
1977 4,555 3,285
1978 4,587 3,428
1979 4,624 3,590
1980 4,672 3,383
1981 4,720 3,592
1982 4,808 3,778
1983 4,914 3,944
1984 4,979 4,088
1985 4,998 4,219
1986 4,983 4,360
1987 4,909 4,427
1988 4,889 4,577
1989 4,845 4,656
1990 4,759 4,762
1991 4,655 4,859
1992 4,652 4,941
1993 4,769 4,973
1994 4,880 4,973
1995 4,976 4,945
1996 5,038 4,897
1997 5,053 4,854
1998 5,022 4,866
1999 4,937 4,871
2000 4,855 5,026
2001 4,759 5,144
2002 4,672 5,181
2003 4,622 5,258
2004 4,554 5,353
2005 4,503 5,454
2006 4,473 5,606
2007 4,480 5,842
2008 4,581 6,138
2009 4,525 6,362
2010 4,779 6,548
2011 4,860 6,715
2012 4,863 6,877
2013 4,875 7,036
2014 4,849 7,143
2015 4,795 7,220
2016 4,720 7,315
2017 4,661 7,371
2018 4,637 7,379
2019 4,495 7,364
2020 4,442 7,233
2021 4,379 7,199
2022 4,288 7,358
2023 4,170 7,359

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Samoa vs Vanuatu

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 101 deaths per 100,000 live births in Samoa, compared to 100 deaths in Vanuatu.

Samoa
Vanuatu
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Samoa Vanuatu
1985 160 211
1986 153 194
1987 147 200
1988 143 172
1989 136 162
1990 135 151
1991 131 140
1992 124 140
1993 117 133
1994 112 131
1995 105 131
1996 103 129
1997 98 131
1998 96 134
1999 94 146
2000 93 133
2001 93 132
2002 89 128
2003 87 131
2004 86 131
2005 87 127
2006 86 123
2007 85 120
2008 87 117
2009 94 114
2010 92 114
2011 93 112
2012 101 109
2013 100 110
2014 106 110
2015 108 109
2016 108 107
2017 111 107
2018 110 108
2019 111 105
2020 114 107
2021 115 124
2022 110 105
2023 101 100

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 1.57% in Samoa and 1.68% in Vanuatu. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Samoa
Vanuatu

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
Samoa Vanuatu
1960 10.7% 15.2%
1961 10.3% 14.7%
1962 9.93% 14.3%
1963 9.56% 13.8%
1964 11.1% 13.4%
1965 8.9% 12.9%
1966 8.57% 12.4%
1967 8.23% 12%
1968 7.89% 11.5%
1969 7.53% 11%
1970 7.19% 10.6%
1971 6.85% 10.2%
1972 6.52% 9.73%
1973 6.2% 9.34%
1974 5.9% 8.95%
1975 5.62% 8.58%
1976 5.34% 8.21%
1977 5.07% 7.84%
1978 4.82% 7.45%
1979 4.59% 7.07%
1980 4.38% 6.67%
1981 4.19% 6.27%
1982 4.01% 5.87%
1983 3.85% 5.48%
1984 3.7% 5.12%
1985 3.56% 4.78%
1986 3.42% 4.47%
1987 3.3% 4.2%
1988 3.18% 3.96%
1989 3.08% 3.76%
1990 2.98% 3.58%
1991 2.89% 3.43%
1992 2.8% 3.29%
1993 2.7% 3.18%
1994 2.61% 3.08%
1995 2.52% 3%
1996 2.44% 2.92%
1997 2.35% 2.86%
1998 2.27% 2.79%
1999 2.19% 2.74%
2000 2.12% 2.68%
2001 2.06% 2.63%
2002 2% 2.58%
2003 1.97% 2.54%
2004 1.94% 2.5%
2005 1.93% 2.45%
2006 1.93% 2.4%
2007 1.93% 2.34%
2008 1.93% 2.27%
2009 2.54% 2.2%
2010 1.93% 2.12%
2011 1.92% 2.05%
2012 1.91% 1.99%
2013 1.89% 1.94%
2014 1.87% 1.9%
2015 1.85% 1.87%
2016 1.83% 1.84%
2017 1.81% 1.82%
2018 1.78% 1.8%
2019 2.02% 1.78%
2020 1.7% 1.77%
2021 1.66% 1.74%
2022 1.62% 1.71%
2023 1.57% 1.68%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Samoa vs Vanuatu
Afghanistan Compare Compare
Albania Compare Compare
Algeria Compare Compare
Andorra Compare Compare
Angola Compare Compare
Antigua Compare Compare
Argentina Compare Compare
Armenia Compare Compare
Australia Compare Compare
Austria Compare Compare
Azerbaijan Compare Compare
Bahamas Compare Compare
Bahrain Compare Compare
Bangladesh Compare Compare
Barbados Compare Compare
Belarus Compare Compare
Belgium Compare Compare
Belize Compare Compare
Benin Compare Compare
Bhutan Compare Compare
Bolivia Compare Compare
Bosnia Compare Compare
Botswana Compare Compare
Brazil Compare Compare
Brunei Compare Compare
Bulgaria Compare Compare
Burkina Faso Compare Compare
Burundi Compare Compare
Cambodia Compare Compare
Cameroon Compare Compare
Canada Compare Compare
Cape Verde Compare Compare
Cayman Islands Compare Compare
CAR Compare Compare
Chad Compare Compare
Chile Compare Compare
China Compare Compare
Colombia Compare Compare
Comoros Compare Compare
Congo Compare Compare
Costa Rica Compare Compare
Croatia Compare Compare
Cuba Compare Compare
Curacao Compare Compare
Cyprus Compare Compare
Czech Republic Compare Compare
DR Congo Compare Compare
Denmark Compare Compare
Djibouti Compare Compare
Dominica Compare Compare
Dominican Republic Compare Compare
East Timor Compare Compare
Ecuador Compare Compare
Egypt Compare Compare
El Salvador Compare Compare
Equatorial Guinea Compare Compare
Eritrea Compare Compare
Estonia Compare Compare
Eswatini Compare Compare
Ethiopia Compare Compare
Fiji Compare Compare
Finland Compare Compare
France Compare Compare
Gabon Compare Compare
Gambia Compare Compare
Georgia Compare Compare
Germany Compare Compare
Ghana Compare Compare
Greece Compare Compare
Grenada Compare Compare
Guatemala Compare Compare
Guinea Compare Compare
Guinea-Bissau Compare Compare
Guyana Compare Compare
Haiti Compare Compare
Honduras Compare Compare
Hungary Compare Compare
Iceland Compare Compare
India Compare Compare
Indonesia Compare Compare
Iran Compare Compare
Iraq Compare Compare
Ireland Compare Compare
Israel Compare Compare
Italy Compare Compare
Ivory Coast Compare Compare
Jamaica Compare Compare
Japan Compare Compare
Jordan Compare Compare
Kazakhstan Compare Compare
Kenya Compare Compare
Kiribati Compare Compare
Kuwait Compare Compare
Kyrgyzstan Compare Compare
Laos Compare Compare
Latvia Compare Compare
Lebanon Compare Compare
Lesotho Compare Compare
Liberia Compare Compare
Libya Compare Compare
Liechtenstein Compare Compare
Lithuania Compare Compare
Luxembourg Compare Compare
Madagascar Compare Compare
Malawi Compare Compare
Malaysia Compare Compare
Maldives Compare Compare
Mali Compare Compare
Malta Compare Compare
Marshall Islands Compare Compare
Mauritania Compare Compare
Mauritius Compare Compare
Mexico Compare Compare
Moldova Compare Compare
Monaco Compare Compare
Mongolia Compare Compare
Montenegro Compare Compare
Morocco Compare Compare
Mozambique Compare Compare
Myanmar Compare Compare
Namibia Compare Compare
Nauru Compare Compare
Nepal Compare Compare
Netherlands Compare Compare
New Zealand Compare Compare
Nicaragua Compare Compare
Niger Compare Compare
Nigeria Compare Compare
North Korea Compare Compare
North Macedonia Compare Compare
Norway Compare Compare
Oman Compare Compare
Pakistan Compare Compare
Palau Compare Compare
Palestine Compare Compare
Panama Compare Compare
Papua New Guinea Compare Compare
Paraguay Compare Compare
Peru Compare Compare
Philippines Compare Compare
Poland Compare Compare
Portugal Compare Compare
Qatar Compare Compare
Romania Compare Compare
Russia Compare Compare
Rwanda Compare Compare
Saint Kitts Compare Compare
Saint Lucia Compare Compare
Saint Vincent Compare Compare
San Marino Compare Compare
Sao Tome Compare Compare
Saudi Arabia Compare Compare
Senegal Compare Compare
Serbia Compare Compare
Seychelles Compare Compare
Sierra Leone Compare Compare
Singapore Compare Compare
Slovakia Compare Compare
Slovenia Compare Compare
Solomon Islands Compare Compare
Somalia Compare Compare
South Africa Compare Compare
South Korea Compare Compare
South Sudan Compare Compare
Spain Compare Compare
Sri Lanka Compare Compare
Sudan Compare Compare
Suriname Compare Compare
Sweden Compare Compare
Switzerland Compare Compare
Syria Compare Compare
Taiwan Compare Compare
Tajikistan Compare Compare
Tanzania Compare Compare
Thailand Compare Compare
Togo Compare Compare
Tonga Compare Compare
Trinidad Compare Compare
Tunisia Compare Compare
Turkey Compare Compare
Turkmenistan Compare Compare
Tuvalu Compare Compare
Uganda Compare Compare
Ukraine Compare Compare
UAE Compare Compare
United Kingdom Compare Compare
United States Compare Compare
Uruguay Compare Compare
Uzbekistan Compare Compare
Venezuela Compare Compare
Vietnam Compare Compare
Yemen Compare Compare
Zambia Compare Compare
Zimbabwe Compare Compare