Belgium vs Sweden: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception

Belgium
1.44 births per woman
in 2024
Sweden
1.43 births per woman
in 2024
Belgium rank
165th
Sweden rank
168th

Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception over time

  • Belgium
  • Sweden
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How they compare

Belgium currently reports 1.44 births per woman against 1.43 births per woman in Sweden, a difference of 0.01 births per woman.

The two have swapped places 8 times across 65 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Belgium ahead.

Belgium ranks 165th and Sweden ranks 168th of 215 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade Belgium Sweden Difference Ahead
1960s 2.53 births per woman 2.25 births per woman 0.28 births per woman Belgium
1970s 1.89 births per woman 1.79 births per woman 0.101 births per woman Belgium
1980s 1.58 births per woman 1.76 births per woman 0.175 births per woman Sweden
1990s 1.61 births per woman 1.81 births per woman 0.198 births per woman Sweden
2000s 1.74 births per woman 1.76 births per woman 0.012 births per woman Sweden
2010s 1.72 births per woman 1.85 births per woman 0.129 births per woman Sweden
2020s 1.52 births per woman 1.55 births per woman 0.032 births per woman Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception, Belgium or Sweden?
Belgium, at 1.44 births per woman against 1.43 births per woman in Sweden as of 2024.
What is the difference in fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception between Belgium and Sweden?
0.01 births per woman, with Belgium ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Sweden?
65 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2024.
How do Belgium and Sweden rank globally for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
Belgium ranks 165th and Sweden ranks 168th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception
Unit
births per woman
Source
United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
215 places, 13,943 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.