Global fertility trends 2025: Niger leads in births as India slows down

Global fertility trends 2025: Niger leads in births as India slows down

New global data shows the fertility rate gap is widening further between high-birth and low-birth countries. According to the CIA World Factbook and World Population Review 2024-25 estimates, the country with the highest fertility rate continues to be Niger, with a total fertility rate of 6.64 births per woman, while countries like India and much of Europe now report below-replacement fertility-a threshold beyond which a nation's population would eventually decline.

Africa remains the fertility epicentre

Sub-Saharan Africa still has the highest fertility levels in the world. The countries leading in this count are Niger, with an average of 6.64; Angola, 5.70; the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 5.49; Mali, 5.35; and Benin, 5.34. Other countries with high birth rates include Chad, Somalia, South Sudan, and Burundi, all above five births per woman. Experts, however, say birth rates across Africa are falling gradually with increased education and better access to contraception.

Asia and Europe slide into a population slowdown

In sharp contrast, most of Asia and Europe are now below the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman. Japan, South Korea, and China continue to see record-low numbers — South Korea's fertility rate is under 0.8, the lowest in the world. Europe's average is 1.38, with countries like Malta and Spain below 1.2. Economists warn such trends could strain pension systems, shrink workforces, and slow long-term growth.

India enters low-fertility territory

Whereas India has been among the fastest-growing populations in the world, it has now settled at about 1.9-2.0 births per woman, according to data from World Population Review, taken from the World Bank. This puts the country below the replacement level, at a turning point in its demographic trajectory. Experts attribute the decline to better female education, urbanisation, and delayed marriage. While the fall eases the pressure on resources, it also signals the start of an ageing phase that could reshape the labour market in India over the next two decades.