Nicaragua vs South Africa: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception

Nicaragua
2.21 births per woman
in 2024
South Africa
2.21 births per woman
in 2024
Nicaragua rank
93rd
South Africa rank
94th

Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception over time

  • Nicaragua
  • South Africa
234567196019922024

How they compare

Nicaragua currently reports 2.21 births per woman against 2.21 births per woman in South Africa, a difference of 0 births per woman.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 65 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Nicaragua ahead.

Nicaragua ranks 93rd and South Africa ranks 94th of 215 countries.

Nicaragua has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Nicaragua South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 7.02 births per woman 5.94 births per woman 1.08 births per woman Nicaragua
1970s 6.46 births per woman 5.23 births per woman 1.23 births per woman Nicaragua
1980s 5.4 births per woman 4.48 births per woman 0.9178 births per woman Nicaragua
1990s 3.88 births per woman 3.15 births per woman 0.7222 births per woman Nicaragua
2000s 2.81 births per woman 2.47 births per woman 0.3406 births per woman Nicaragua
2010s 2.45 births per woman 2.36 births per woman 0.0906 births per woman Nicaragua
2020s 2.25 births per woman 2.23 births per woman 0.015 births per woman Nicaragua

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception, Nicaragua or South Africa?
Nicaragua, at 2.21 births per woman against 2.21 births per woman in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception between Nicaragua and South Africa?
0 births per woman, with Nicaragua ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nicaragua and South Africa?
65 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2024.
How do Nicaragua and South Africa rank globally for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
Nicaragua ranks 93rd and South Africa ranks 94th 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.

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Nicaragua vs South Africa: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/fertility-vs-unmet-contraception/nicaragua/south-africa/

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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.