Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica
Jamaica: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.35 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica, 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
In 2024, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica stood at 1.35 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica peaked at 5.79 births per woman in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.35 births per woman, in 2024.
That places Jamaica 185th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.54 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 5.6 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 5.63 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 5.73 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 5.79 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 5.72 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 5.69 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 5.67 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 5.58 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1969 | 5.47 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1970 | 5.35 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 5.21 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 5.06 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1973 | 5 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 4.67 births per woman | -6.6% |
| 1975 | 4.44 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 4.21 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1977 | 4 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1978 | 3.84 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 3.72 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 3.59 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 3.51 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 3.46 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 3.41 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 3.32 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 3.21 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 3.11 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 3.02 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 2.98 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 2.93 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 2.96 births per woman | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 3 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 3.03 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 2.99 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 2.93 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 2.85 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 2.77 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 2.68 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 2.57 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 2.46 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 2.35 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 2.3 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 2.27 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 2.24 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 2.2 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 2.15 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 2.09 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 2.02 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 1.95 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 1.88 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 1.8 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 1.72 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 2012 | 1.65 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 1.59 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 1.54 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 1.51 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 1.46 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 1.43 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.4 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.39 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 1.38 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 1.38 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 1.37 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 1.36 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.35 births per woman | -0.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 1.35 births per woman is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8 births per woman, 75% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 1.35 births per woman is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.62 births per woman, 83% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.64 births per woman | 5.47 births per woman | 5.79 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.55 births per woman | 3.72 births per woman | 5.35 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.25 births per woman | 2.93 births per woman | 3.59 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.82 births per woman | 2.46 births per woman | 3.03 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.14 births per woman | 1.88 births per woman | 2.35 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.55 births per woman | 1.39 births per woman | 1.8 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.37 births per woman | 1.35 births per woman | 1.38 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More population data for Jamaica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.7 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2,494 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1905 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.8% (2100)
- Population density 98.5 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 35,987 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Jamaica was 1.35 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 fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 5.79 births per woman in 1964.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.35 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Jamaica rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Jamaica ranks 185th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica 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 Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.