Zimbabwe birth & fertility rate decline on charts

Zimbabwe has a birth rate of 30.4 (annual births per 1,000 people) and a fertility rate of 3.72 (the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime based on current age-specific birth rates).

In 1960, the fertility rate in Zimbabwe was 7.2 children per woman — 1.93 times higher than in 2023.

Zimbabwe birth rate statistics:

Zimbabwe is ranked 31/196 by birth rate now and was ranked 49/194 in 1960.
The mean age at first birth in Zimbabwe is 20.3 — it was 20 in 2017.
The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.1, a change from 29.4 in 1990.
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) changed from 167.8 in 1960 to 98.1 in 2023.
26.5% of the population in 2024 is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), a change from 21.3% in 1960.

Fertility rate in Zimbabwe by year

1x

Year	Fertility rate	Rank
2023	3.72	36
2022	3.77	38
2021	3.77	40
2020	3.75	42
2019	3.75	44
2018	3.74	44
2017	3.77	46
2016	3.83	48
2015	3.91	48
2014	4.01	45
2013	4.11	45
2012	4.13	46
2011	4.13	48
2010	4.04	49
2009	3.95	49
2008	3.78	54
2007	3.68	57
2006	3.64	57
2005	3.69	57
2004	3.78	56
2003	3.86	56
2002	3.93	57
2001	3.98	57
2000	4.01	61
1999	4.06	65
1998	4.07	68
1997	4.08	68
1996	4.11	69
1995	4.15	71
1994	4.28	71
1993	4.39	71
1992	4.57	71
1991	4.72	70
1990	4.88	71
1989	5.07	69
1988	5.28	67
1987	5.5	63
1986	5.69	61
1985	5.87	60
1984	6.04	56
1983	6.2	55
1982	6.33	52
1981	6.45	49
1980	6.52	46
1979	6.59	42
1978	6.66	40
1977	6.71	42
1976	6.77	41
1975	6.83	37
1974	6.88	35
1973	6.94	34
1972	6.94	35
1971	6.94	36
1970	6.98	36
1969	7.04	32
1968	7.11	30
1967	7.16	25
1966	7.2	22
1965	7.23	19
1964	7.23	20
1963	7.23	22
1962	7.23	21
1961	7.21	22
1960	7.2	24

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in Zimbabwe is 3.72, which is above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. In 1993, the fertility rate was 4.39 — a 15.2% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

1x

Year	People
Year	Natural change	Births	Deaths
2023	372,505	496,924	124,419
2022	371,243	496,244	125,001
2021	349,908	488,639	138,731
2020	354,790	481,147	126,357
2019	348,798	475,260	126,462
2018	345,883	470,984	125,101
2017	344,035	471,229	127,194
2016	348,772	477,488	128,716
2015	356,203	488,385	132,182
2014	366,350	503,039	136,689
2013	374,757	518,160	143,403
2012	371,135	522,385	151,250
2011	359,572	518,556	158,984
2010	335,570	505,799	170,229
2009	309,316	493,091	183,775
2008	280,527	471,207	190,680
2007	261,805	456,477	194,672
2006	248,963	444,840	195,877
2005	248,545	446,944	198,399
2004	248,307	449,203	200,896
2003	243,057	447,862	204,805
2002	244,170	441,670	197,500
2001	227,909	436,531	208,622
2000	236,343	429,636	193,293
1999	232,393	419,667	187,274
1998	225,614	399,655	174,041
1997	216,288	379,433	163,145
1996	205,269	361,586	156,317
1995	206,695	347,510	140,815
1994	216,343	348,212	131,869
1993	228,045	351,645	123,600
1992	255,291	366,770	111,479
1991	260,943	363,263	102,320
1990	265,444	359,974	94,530
1989	270,838	358,950	88,112
1988	277,498	360,832	83,334
1987	286,766	366,734	79,968
1986	289,894	367,710	77,816
1985	290,756	367,764	77,008
1984	290,052	366,884	76,832
1983	286,545	364,330	77,785
1982	279,934	356,479	76,545
1981	271,361	347,284	75,923
1980	241,179	315,732	74,553
1979	223,657	307,815	84,158
1978	222,979	306,016	83,037
1977	225,139	299,966	74,827
1976	221,419	292,501	71,082
1975	216,947	284,337	67,390
1974	208,806	274,116	65,310
1973	201,885	265,335	63,450
1972	193,725	254,924	61,199
1971	185,427	245,145	59,718
1970	178,979	237,532	58,553
1969	172,626	230,263	57,637
1968	166,865	223,788	56,923
1967	161,205	217,576	56,371
1966	156,014	211,932	55,918
1965	151,164	206,761	55,597
1964	145,848	201,126	55,278
1963	140,984	195,986	55,002
1962	136,317	191,007	54,690
1961	131,531	185,876	54,345
1960	126,959	180,915	53,956

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in Zimbabwe (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been +2.34% annually. On average, 355,848 more people were born each year than died.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was 2.28% — 372,505 more people were born than died.

In 2023, Zimbabwe ranks 45/196 for absolute natural population change and 32/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates in Zimbabwe compared to other countries

	Zimbabwe	Rank
Fertility rate	3.72	36/196
Birth rate	30.4	31/196
Population change due to births and deaths	+372,505	45/196
Natural population change rate	+2.28%	32/196
Population growth	+1.8%	60/197
Age at first childbirth	20.3 years	111/137
Average age at childbearing	28.1 years	158/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19	93.2	20/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29	176.7	31/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+	47.2	46/197
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population	26.5%	32/196
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49	65.8%	28/179
Share of births attended by skilled health staff	86%	145/191
Maternal mortality per live birth	0.36%	18/193
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age)	2.24%	36/193
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age)	4.06%	25/196
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age	4.42%	34/192
Life expectancy	63.6 years	180/197

Birth rates by women's age

Annual births per 1,000 women

1x

Year	Annual births per 1,000 women
Year	Total	15-19	20-29	30+
2026	55.8	93.2	176.7	47.2
2025	56.3	94.9	180.1	49
2024	56.9	97.2	183	51.1
2023	57.9	99.2	185.6	53.5
2022	58.7	100.5	186.8	56.1
2021	58.7	100.1	186.4	57.8
2020	58.8	100	185.6	59.3
2019	59	100.2	184.8	61
2018	59.4	100.6	183.9	62.7
2017	60.2	101.4	184.3	64.8
2016	61.9	103.6	184.6	67.2
2015	64.2	105.6	188.3	69
2014	67	108.3	193.5	70.9
2013	69.9	110	199	72.6
2012	71.5	111.4	200.4	72.9
2011	72.2	112.9	199.1	72
2010	71.7	111.8	195.9	68.8
2009	71.1	110.5	192.5	65.5
2008	68.9	107.8	184.7	61.2
2007	67.5	104.6	180.9	57.8
2006	66.6	103.5	180.3	55.4
2005	67.8	106.4	182.3	55.3
2004	68.8	104.3	188.1	55.5
2003	69.4	103.4	192.1	55.7
2002	69.2	101.2	194.1	56.1
2001	69.1	103	195.5	56.1
2000	68.5	103.2	196.3	56.2
1999	67.6	103.7	198.3	56.1
1998	65.3	102.2	198.8	55.3
1997	63.2	100.9	198.8	54.8
1996	61.3	99.9	200.1	55.2
1995	59.8	99.3	201	56.6
1994	60.6	99.8	205.3	60.9
1993	61.5	100.4	206.7	66.3
1992	65.6	101.5	209.2	77
1991	67.1	103.7	213.8	80.5
1990	68.2	104.7	218.9	84.7
1989	69.9	105.2	226.1	89.3
1988	72.4	105.4	234.8	94.4
1987	76.2	105.6	244.2	101.1
1986	79.2	110.1	253	104.2
1985	82	117.4	260.2	106.7
1984	84.8	124.9	266.4	108.9
1983	87.3	133	271.2	110
1982	88.6	140	274.4	109.7
1981	89.5	139.8	279.1	109.3
1980	85.2	140.8	283.2	98.2
1979	86.8	141.5	285.8	98.2
1978	88.5	142.1	290.7	101.8
1977	88.9	139.7	294.4	104.8
1976	89.3	145.9	296.5	105.3
1975	89.6	147	299.2	106.3
1974	89.2	144.5	301	107.1
1973	89.2	144.7	303	108.2
1972	88.4	143.9	302	108.3
1971	87.8	142.1	304	107.8
1970	87.8	143.2	307	108.8
1969	87.9	144.7	310	109.4
1968	88.3	145.6	309	111
1967	88.6	145.9	311	111.6
1966	88.9	148.5	312	112.1
1965	89.5	155.1	312	112.5
1964	89.6	162.6	311	112.2
1963	90.1	163.7	309	112
1962	90.8	166.8	308	112
1961	91.1	169.4	306	111.7
1960	91.6	170.7	304	111.6

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in Zimbabwe by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 18.4% will be to women under age 20, 53.1% to women ages 20-29, and 28.5% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 17.2%, 50.6%, and 32.2%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
Year	Zimbabwe	World
2100	20.3%	16.5%
2099	20.5%	16.6%
2098	20.6%	16.6%
2097	20.8%	16.7%
2096	20.9%	16.8%
2095	21.1%	16.8%
2094	21.3%	16.9%
2093	21.4%	17%
2092	21.6%	17%
2091	21.8%	17.1%
2090	22%	17.2%
2089	22.2%	17.2%
2088	22.4%	17.3%
2087	22.6%	17.4%
2086	22.8%	17.4%
2085	23%	17.5%
2084	23.2%	17.5%
2083	23.4%	17.6%
2082	23.6%	17.7%
2081	23.8%	17.7%
2080	24%	17.8%
2079	24.2%	17.8%
2078	24.4%	17.9%
2077	24.6%	17.9%
2076	24.9%	18%
2075	25.1%	18%
2074	25.3%	18.1%
2073	25.5%	18.2%
2072	25.7%	18.2%
2071	25.9%	18.3%
2070	26.2%	18.3%
2069	26.4%	18.4%
2068	26.6%	18.5%
2067	26.8%	18.6%
2066	27.1%	18.6%
2065	27.3%	18.7%
2064	27.6%	18.8%
2063	27.8%	18.9%
2062	28.1%	19.1%
2061	28.4%	19.2%
2060	28.7%	19.3%
2059	29%	19.4%
2058	29.3%	19.5%
2057	29.6%	19.6%
2056	30%	19.8%
2055	30.3%	19.9%
2054	30.6%	20%
2053	31%	20.1%
2052	31.3%	20.2%
2051	31.7%	20.3%
2050	32%	20.4%
2049	32.4%	20.5%
2048	32.7%	20.6%
2047	33.1%	20.7%
2046	33.4%	20.8%
2045	33.7%	20.9%
2044	34%	20.9%
2043	34.2%	21%
2042	34.5%	21.1%
2041	34.7%	21.2%
2040	34.9%	21.2%
2039	35.2%	21.3%
2038	35.4%	21.4%
2037	35.7%	21.5%
2036	35.9%	21.6%
2035	36.2%	21.8%
2034	36.4%	22%
2033	36.6%	22.2%
2032	36.9%	22.4%
2031	37.2%	22.7%
2030	37.6%	23%
2029	38.1%	23.3%
2028	38.7%	23.6%
2027	39.3%	23.9%
2026	40%	24.2%
2025	40.6%	24.6%
2024	40.9%	24.7%
2023	41.3%	25%
2022	41.6%	25.3%
2021	41.9%	25.6%
2020	42.2%	25.8%
2019	42.5%	26%
2018	42.9%	26.2%
2017	43.3%	26.4%
2016	43.6%	26.5%
2015	43.8%	26.6%
2014	43.9%	26.8%
2013	43.9%	26.9%
2012	43.7%	27%
2011	43.4%	27.1%
2010	43%	27.3%
2009	42.7%	27.5%
2008	42.4%	27.6%
2007	42.1%	27.9%
2006	42%	28.1%
2005	41.9%	28.5%
2004	41.7%	28.8%
2003	41.5%	29.2%
2002	41.4%	29.6%
2001	41.5%	30%
2000	41.9%	30.4%
1999	42.4%	30.8%
1998	43.1%	31.1%
1997	44%	31.5%
1996	45%	31.8%
1995	45.9%	32.1%
1994	46.6%	32.3%
1993	47.1%	32.5%
1992	46.8%	32.7%
1991	46.6%	32.9%
1990	47.1%	33%
1989	47.6%	33.2%
1988	47.9%	33.4%
1987	47.9%	33.6%
1986	47.9%	33.8%
1985	48%	34%
1984	48.1%	34.3%
1983	48.2%	34.6%
1982	48.3%	34.9%
1981	48.4%	35.2%
1980	48.7%	35.5%
1979	48.8%	35.9%
1978	48.5%	36.3%
1977	48.3%	36.7%
1976	48.2%	36.9%
1975	48.1%	37.1%
1974	48.1%	37.2%
1973	48.1%	37.3%
1972	48.2%	37.5%
1971	48.2%	37.6%
1970	48.3%	37.7%
1969	48.4%	37.8%
1968	48.5%	37.9%
1967	48.5%	38%
1966	48.6%	38%
1965	48.7%	38%
1964	48.8%	38%
1963	48.5%	37.8%
1962	48.1%	37.6%
1961	47.7%	37.5%
1960	47.3%	37.4%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

The share of children aged 0-14 in Zimbabwe was 47.3% in 1960, 46.8% in 1992, and 40.9% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of Zimbabwe.

Fertility rates around the globe

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

Maternal mortality by year

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
Year	Zimbabwe	World
2023	358	197
2022	368	203
2021	446	242
2020	380	211
2019	388	207
2018	386	211
2017	389	215
2016	411	220
2015	428	228
2014	468	231
2013	525	235
2012	558	239
2011	564	247
2010	567	253
2009	540	258
2008	526	264
2007	519	269
2006	480	276
2005	454	283
2004	451	291
2003	455	301
2002	418	311
2001	467	321
2000	405	328
1999	399	340
1998	368	360
1997	357	358
1996	352	366
1995	332	371
1994	332	382
1993	331	389
1992	333	395
1991	332	395
1990	353	391
1989	382	401
1988	431	414
1987	480	429
1986	525	438
1985	573	460

Data sources: World Bank | Gender (1985–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

The maternal mortality rate in Zimbabwe was 358 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.36% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 11.6% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
Year	Zimbabwe	World
2023	4.42%	2.49%
2022	4.6%	2.59%
2021	4.76%	2.66%
2020	5.01%	2.75%
2019	5.11%	2.86%
2018	5.23%	2.97%
2017	5.5%	3.11%
2016	5.69%	3.22%
2015	5.98%	3.35%
2014	6.18%	3.48%
2013	6.55%	3.61%
2012	7.14%	3.77%
2011	7.88%	3.97%
2010	8.5%	4.11%
2009	9.03%	4.31%
2008	9.34%	4.5%
2007	9.47%	4.7%
2006	9.4%	4.92%
2005	9.23%	5.16%
2004	9.17%	5.43%
2003	8.85%	5.65%
2002	8.48%	5.94%
2001	9.79%	6.21%
2000	9.83%	6.48%
1999	9.92%	6.75%
1998	10%	7.05%
1997	10.1%	7.28%
1996	10%	7.52%
1995	9.83%	7.76%
1994	9.52%	7.98%
1993	9.16%	8.19%
1992	8.73%	8.46%
1991	8.33%	8.66%
1990	7.97%	8.81%
1989	7.69%	9.02%
1988	7.55%	9.31%
1987	7.61%	9.47%
1986	7.86%	9.81%
1985	8.31%	10.1%
1984	8.87%	10.4%
1983	9.5%	10.6%
1982	10.1%	10.8%
1981	10.7%	11%
1980	11.1%	11.4%
1979	11.3%	11.7%
1978	11.5%	12.2%
1977	11.5%	12.6%
1976	11.5%	13%
1975	11.4%	13.4%
1974	11.4%	13.8%
1973	11.4%	14.1%
1972	11.5%	14.5%
1971	11.5%	15.1%
1970	11.7%	15.2%
1969	11.8%	15.4%
1968	12.1%	15.6%
1967	12.4%	15.9%
1966	12.7%	16.1%
1965	13.1%	16.4%
1964	13.5%	16.6%
1963	14%	16.5%
1962	14.4%	16.7%
1961	14.8%	17%
1960	15.2%	17.2%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/zimbabwe | CC BY

The under-5 mortality rate in Zimbabwe was 44.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 4.42% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 98.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.