Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in France
France: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) was 1.66 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.66 births per woman
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
132nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
2.55 births per woman
in 1970
All-time low
1.66 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Fertility rate, total in France, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in France is 1.66 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in France peaked at 2.55 births per woman in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.66 births per woman, in 2023.
That places France 132nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in France, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.55 births per woman | — |
| 1971 | 2.47 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1972 | 2.38 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1973 | 2.28 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1974 | 2.18 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 2.09 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 2.01 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1977 | 1.94 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 1.89 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.87 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.85 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 1.85 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.86 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 1.86 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.86 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.86 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.85 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.83 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 1.81 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 1.79 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 1.77 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 1.75 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 1.74 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 1.73 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.73 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.74 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 1.75 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 1.77 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 1.78 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 1.81 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 1.89 births per woman | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 1.9 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 1.88 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.89 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.92 births per woman | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 1.94 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 2 births per woman | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 1.98 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.01 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 2 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 2.03 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 2.01 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.01 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.99 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 2 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 1.96 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 1.92 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 1.89 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.87 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.83 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.84 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 1.79 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 1.66 births per woman | -7.3% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 1.66 births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.49 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 1.66 births per woman is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.49 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.17 births per woman | 1.87 births per woman | 2.55 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.84 births per woman | 1.79 births per woman | 1.86 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.76 births per woman | 1.73 births per woman | 1.81 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.94 births per woman | 1.88 births per woman | 2.01 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.95 births per woman | 1.86 births per woman | 2.03 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.78 births per woman | 1.66 births per woman | 1.84 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More population data for France
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.58 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1885 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 65,827 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1504 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1075 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.033 (2100)
- Population density 125.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.16 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in France?
- Fertility rate, total in France was 1.66 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 2.55 births per woman in 1970.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.66 births per woman in 2023.
- How does France rank for fertility rate, total?
- France ranks 132nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release