Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland
Ireland: Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children was 1.6 live births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.6 live births per woman
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
152nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.08 live births per woman
in 1964
All-time low
1.59 live births per woman
in 2022
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland, 1950–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 1.6 live births per woman for comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland peaked at 4.08 live births per woman in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.59 live births per woman, in 2022.
That places Ireland 152nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.5 live births per woman | — |
| 1951 | 3.55 live births per woman | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 3.56 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 3.54 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 3.47 live births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1955 | 3.37 live births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1956 | 3.38 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 3.48 live births per woman | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 3.46 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 3.6 live births per woman | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 3.75 live births per woman | +4.2% |
| 1961 | 3.78 live births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 3.93 live births per woman | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 4.03 live births per woman | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 4.08 live births per woman | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 4.04 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 3.94 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 3.84 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 3.77 live births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 3.82 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 3.85 live births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 3.93 live births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 3.85 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 3.71 live births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1974 | 3.59 live births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 3.37 live births per woman | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 3.29 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 3.24 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 3.21 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 3.21 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 3.21 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 3.06 live births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1982 | 2.95 live births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 2.75 live births per woman | -6.7% |
| 1984 | 2.59 live births per woman | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 2.49 live births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 2.44 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 2.31 live births per woman | -5.2% |
| 1988 | 2.17 live births per woman | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 2.08 live births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 2.11 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 2.08 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 1.99 live births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 1.9 live births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1994 | 1.85 live births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.84 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 1.88 live births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 1.93 live births per woman | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 1.94 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 1.9 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 1.89 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 1.94 live births per woman | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 1.97 live births per woman | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 1.96 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 1.93 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 1.86 live births per woman | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 1.92 live births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 2.01 live births per woman | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 2.06 live births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.06 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 2.06 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2.03 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 1.99 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 1.93 live births per woman | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 1.9 live births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 1.86 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.82 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 1.77 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 1.76 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 1.72 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.65 live births per woman | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 1.78 live births per woman | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 1.59 live births per woman | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 1.6 live births per woman | +0.3% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 1.6 live births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.5 live births per woman, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 1.6 live births per woman is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.49 live births per woman, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.49 live births per woman | 3.37 live births per woman | 3.6 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.9 live births per woman | 3.75 live births per woman | 4.08 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.53 live births per woman | 3.21 live births per woman | 3.93 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6 live births per woman | 2.08 live births per woman | 3.21 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.94 live births per woman | 1.84 live births per woman | 2.11 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.96 live births per woman | 1.86 live births per woman | 2.06 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.88 live births per woman | 1.72 live births per woman | 2.06 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.66 live births per woman | 1.59 live births per woman | 1.78 live births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More population data for Ireland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.68 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1157 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,725 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5372 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1844 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 76.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 217,052 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland?
- Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children in Ireland was 1.6 live births per woman in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.08 live births per woman in 1964.
- What is the lowest comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.59 live births per woman in 2022.
- How does Ireland rank for comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children?
- Ireland ranks 152nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Comparison of fertility rates that account for survival of children. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average number of live births a hypothetical cohort of women would have at the end of their reproductive period if they were subject during their whole lives to the fertility rates of a given period and if they were not subject to mortality.