Birth rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Birth rate was 10.02 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
10.02 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
168th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.5 births per 1,000 people
in 1964
All-time low
10.02 births per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rate in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, birth rate in United Kingdom stood at 10.02 births per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in United Kingdom peaked at 18.5 births per 1,000 people in 1964 and was at its lowest, 10.02 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
United Kingdom ranks 168th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.31 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 15.82 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1952 | 15.69 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1953 | 15.66 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 15.52 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1955 | 15.5 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 15.92 births per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 16.34 births per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 16.63 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 16.83 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 17.33 births per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 17.77 births per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 18.19 births per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 18.44 births per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 18.5 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 18.19 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 17.8 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 17.35 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 16.95 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 16.5 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 16.1 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 15.69 births per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 14.73 births per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1973 | 13.84 births per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1974 | 13.09 births per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 1975 | 12.39 births per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1976 | 11.98 births per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 11.71 births per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 12.22 births per 1,000 people | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 13.02 births per 1,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 13.32 births per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 12.93 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1982 | 12.77 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 12.79 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 12.9 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 13.2 births per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 13.29 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 13.59 births per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 13.72 births per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 13.64 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 13.9 births per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 13.8 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 13.57 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 13.17 births per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 12.93 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 12.62 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 12.59 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 12.47 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 12.27 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 11.96 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 11.59 births per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 11.39 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 11.37 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 11.73 births per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 11.98 births per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 12.03 births per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 12.36 births per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 12.65 births per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 12.89 births per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 12.76 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 12.89 births per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 12.83 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 12.78 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 12.2 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 12.02 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 11.92 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 11.78 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 11.41 births per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 10.98 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 10.64 births per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 10.2 births per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 10.24 births per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 10.1 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 10.02 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 10.02 births per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.6 births per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 10.02 births per 1,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9.31 births per 1,000 people, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.02 births per 1,000 people | 15.5 births per 1,000 people | 16.83 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.7 births per 1,000 people | 16.5 births per 1,000 people | 18.5 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.48 births per 1,000 people | 11.71 births per 1,000 people | 16.1 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.21 births per 1,000 people | 12.77 births per 1,000 people | 13.72 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.93 births per 1,000 people | 11.96 births per 1,000 people | 13.9 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.08 births per 1,000 people | 11.37 births per 1,000 people | 12.89 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.94 births per 1,000 people | 10.64 births per 1,000 people | 12.89 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.14 births per 1,000 people | 10.02 births per 1,000 people | 10.24 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 165 Albania 10.24 births per 1,000 people compare
- 166 Kuwait 10.2 births per 1,000 people compare
- 167 Costa Rica 10.18 births per 1,000 people compare
- 169 Qatar 9.91 births per 1,000 people compare
- 170 Uruguay 9.87 births per 1,000 people compare
- 171 United Arab Emirates 9.77 births per 1,000 people compare
More population data for United Kingdom
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 71,685 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2666 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.169 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in United Kingdom?
- Birth rate in United Kingdom was 10.02 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5 births per 1,000 people in 1964.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.02 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does United Kingdom rank for birth rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 168th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.