Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Iran
Iran: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) was 1.7 births per woman in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.7 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
131st
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.8 births per woman
in 1970
All-time low
1.7 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Fertility rate, total in Iran, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in Iran is 1.7 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Iran peaked at 6.8 births per woman in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.7 births per woman, in 2023.
Iran ranks 131st of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Iran, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.8 births per woman | — |
| 1971 | 6.55 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1972 | 6.26 births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 6.06 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 5.97 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 5.95 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 6.07 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 6.18 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 6.34 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 6.55 births per woman | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 6.63 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 6.62 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 6.59 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 6.53 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 6.43 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 6.24 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 6.01 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 5.72 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 5.43 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1989 | 5.17 births per woman | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 4.93 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 4.57 births per woman | -7.4% |
| 1992 | 4.1 births per woman | -10.3% |
| 1993 | 3.67 births per woman | -10.4% |
| 1994 | 3.24 births per woman | -11.7% |
| 1995 | 2.85 births per woman | -12.1% |
| 1996 | 2.54 births per woman | -10.9% |
| 1997 | 2.32 births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 2.19 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 2.09 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 2 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 1.92 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 1.84 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 1.8 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 1.78 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 1.76 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 1.75 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.75 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.74 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.74 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.75 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 1.79 births per woman | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 1.85 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 1.91 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 1.98 births per woman | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 2.02 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 2.05 births per woman | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 2.02 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 1.92 births per woman | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 1.77 births per woman | -8.0% |
| 2020 | 1.7 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 1.71 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 1.7 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 1.7 births per woman | -0.5% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 1.7 births per woman is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.86 births per woman, 91% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 1.7 births per woman is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.52 births per woman, 67% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.27 births per woman | 5.95 births per woman | 6.8 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.14 births per woman | 5.17 births per woman | 6.63 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.25 births per woman | 2.09 births per woman | 4.93 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.81 births per woman | 1.74 births per woman | 2 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.91 births per woman | 1.75 births per woman | 2.05 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 1.71 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More population data for Iran
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5902 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 99,007 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4819 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5653 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.673 (2100)
- Population density 49.33 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 3.09 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Iran?
- Fertility rate, total in Iran was 1.7 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8 births per woman in 1970.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Iran rank for fertility rate, total?
- Iran ranks 131st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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