Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo

Congo: Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate was 4.11 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
4.11 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
24th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.44 births per woman
in 1972
All-time low
4.11 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024

Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo, 1960–2024

0246196019922024

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

In 2024, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo stood at 4.11 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo peaked at 6.44 births per woman in 1972 and was at its lowest, 4.11 births per woman, in 2024.

Congo ranks 24th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 6.21 births per woman 6.08 births per woman 6.35 births per woman 10
1970s 6.33 births per woman 6.14 births per woman 6.44 births per woman 10
1980s 5.66 births per woman 5.33 births per woman 6.07 births per woman 10
1990s 5.07 births per woman 4.8 births per woman 5.27 births per woman 10
2000s 4.7 births per woman 4.65 births per woman 4.81 births per woman 10
2010s 4.63 births per woman 4.38 births per woman 4.85 births per woman 10
2020s 4.22 births per woman 4.11 births per woman 4.33 births per woman 5

Countries ranked near Congo

  1. 21 Togo 4.12 births per woman compare
  2. 22 Equatorial Guinea 4.12 births per woman compare
  3. 23 Burkina Faso 4.11 births per woman compare
  4. 25 Zambia 4.04 births per woman compare
  5. 26 Madagascar 3.91 births per woman compare
  6. 27 Ethiopia 3.91 births per woman compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More population data for Congo

All data for Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo?
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Congo was 4.11 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 Congo?
The highest recorded value was 6.44 births per woman in 1972.
What is the lowest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 4.11 births per woman in 2024.
How does Congo rank for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate?
Congo ranks 24th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
Is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate rising or falling in Congo?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Congo 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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About this data

Indicator
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate
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 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.