Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Canada
Canada: Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate was 1.25 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Canada, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Canada recorded 1.25 births per woman for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 22.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Canada peaked at 3.81 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.25 births per woman, in 2024.
Canada ranks 190th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.14 births per woman | 2.33 births per woman | 3.81 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9 births per woman | 1.75 births per woman | 2.26 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.69 births per woman | 1.65 births per woman | 1.77 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 births per woman | 1.55 births per woman | 1.83 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.59 births per woman | 1.51 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.58 births per woman | 1.47 births per woman | 1.65 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.34 births per woman | 1.25 births per woman | 1.44 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More population data for Canada
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.33 million people (2100)
- Population density 6.1 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Refugees by country of asylum 269,496 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.25 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.25 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.1% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.35 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 1.35 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Canada?
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Canada was 1.25 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.81 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.25 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Canada rank for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate?
- Canada ranks 190th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total fertility rate summarizes the total number of births a woman would have, if she experienced the birth rates seen in women of each age group in one particular year across her childbearing years. The wanted fertility is an estimate of what the total fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided, based on survey data.