Birth rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Birth rate was 10.02 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
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.
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 growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.55 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 515,677 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.55 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.55 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.1% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.56 live births per woman (2023)
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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CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.