Birth rate in France

France: Birth rate was 9.62 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
9.62 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
173rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
32.26 births per 1,000 people
in 1819
All-time low
9.62 births per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
208
1816–2023

Birth rate in France, 1816–2023

1015202530181619192023

Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for birth rate in France is 9.62 births per 1,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 208 years on record.

That represents a change of down 7.3% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, birth rate in France peaked at 32.26 births per 1,000 people in 1819 and was at its lowest, 9.62 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.

That places France 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 208 years of available data.

Birth rate in France, year by year

Annual values for Birth rate in France, 1816 to 2023.
Year births per 1,000 people Change
1816 32.24 births per 1,000 people
1817 31.19 births per 1,000 people -3.3%
1818 30.02 births per 1,000 people -3.7%
1819 32.26 births per 1,000 people +7.4%
1820 31.16 births per 1,000 people -3.4%
1821 31.07 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1822 31.07 births per 1,000 people +0.0%
1823 30.58 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1824 31.01 births per 1,000 people +1.4%
1825 30.45 births per 1,000 people -1.8%
1826 30.75 births per 1,000 people +1.0%
1827 30.26 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1828 30.03 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
1829 29.58 births per 1,000 people -1.5%
1830 29.54 births per 1,000 people -0.1%
1831 29.92 births per 1,000 people +1.3%
1832 28.27 births per 1,000 people -5.5%
1833 29.26 births per 1,000 people +3.5%
1834 29.61 births per 1,000 people +1.2%
1835 29.76 births per 1,000 people +0.5%
1836 29.12 births per 1,000 people -2.1%
1837 27.89 births per 1,000 people -4.2%
1838 28.41 births per 1,000 people +1.9%
1839 28.16 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1840 27.86 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
1841 28.39 births per 1,000 people +1.9%
1842 28.43 births per 1,000 people +0.1%
1843 28.17 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1844 27.5 births per 1,000 people -2.4%
1845 28.01 births per 1,000 people +1.9%
1846 27.3 births per 1,000 people -2.5%
1847 25.4 births per 1,000 people -7.0%
1848 26.44 births per 1,000 people +4.1%
1849 27.64 births per 1,000 people +4.5%
1850 26.75 births per 1,000 people -3.2%
1851 27.06 births per 1,000 people +1.2%
1852 26.78 births per 1,000 people -1.0%
1853 25.91 births per 1,000 people -3.2%
1854 25.47 births per 1,000 people -1.7%
1855 24.95 births per 1,000 people -2.0%
1856 26.3 births per 1,000 people +5.4%
1857 25.91 births per 1,000 people -1.5%
1858 26.64 births per 1,000 people +2.8%
1859 27.91 births per 1,000 people +4.7%
1860 26.21 births per 1,000 people -6.1%
1861 26.87 births per 1,000 people +2.5%
1862 26.52 births per 1,000 people -1.3%
1863 26.88 births per 1,000 people +1.3%
1864 26.6 births per 1,000 people -1.0%
1865 26.51 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1866 26.41 births per 1,000 people -0.4%
1867 26.35 births per 1,000 people -0.2%
1868 25.62 births per 1,000 people -2.8%
1869 25.69 births per 1,000 people +0.2%
1870 25.47 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1871 22.27 births per 1,000 people -12.6%
1872 26.35 births per 1,000 people +18.4%
1873 25.7 births per 1,000 people -2.5%
1874 25.86 births per 1,000 people +0.6%
1875 25.66 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
1876 25.95 births per 1,000 people +1.1%
1877 25.28 births per 1,000 people -2.6%
1878 25.01 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
1879 24.94 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1880 24.47 births per 1,000 people -1.9%
1881 24.84 births per 1,000 people +1.5%
1882 24.73 births per 1,000 people -0.4%
1883 24.74 births per 1,000 people +0.0%
1884 24.68 births per 1,000 people -0.2%
1885 24.29 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1886 23.87 births per 1,000 people -1.7%
1887 23.49 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1888 23.03 births per 1,000 people -2.0%
1889 22.95 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1890 21.81 births per 1,000 people -5.0%
1891 22.54 births per 1,000 people +3.3%
1892 22.26 births per 1,000 people -1.2%
1893 22.75 births per 1,000 people +2.2%
1894 22.25 births per 1,000 people -2.2%
1895 21.67 births per 1,000 people -2.6%
1896 22.44 births per 1,000 people +3.5%
1897 22.27 births per 1,000 people -0.7%
1898 21.87 births per 1,000 people -1.8%
1899 22.16 births per 1,000 people +1.3%
1900 21.62 births per 1,000 people -2.5%
1901 22.41 births per 1,000 people +3.7%
1902 22.06 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1903 21.52 births per 1,000 people -2.4%
1904 21.25 births per 1,000 people -1.2%
1905 20.94 births per 1,000 people -1.5%
1906 20.91 births per 1,000 people -0.2%
1907 19.99 births per 1,000 people -4.4%
1908 20.47 births per 1,000 people +2.4%
1909 19.84 births per 1,000 people -3.1%
1910 19.93 births per 1,000 people +0.4%
1911 19.04 births per 1,000 people -4.4%
1912 19.23 births per 1,000 people +1.0%
1913 19.07 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1914 18.16 births per 1,000 people -4.8%
1915 11.77 births per 1,000 people -35.2%
1916 9.62 births per 1,000 people -18.3%
1917 10.6 births per 1,000 people +10.2%
1918 12.38 births per 1,000 people +16.8%
1919 12.52 births per 1,000 people +1.1%
1920 21.85 births per 1,000 people +74.5%
1921 21.08 births per 1,000 people -3.5%
1922 19.57 births per 1,000 people -7.1%
1923 19.47 births per 1,000 people -0.5%
1924 19.12 births per 1,000 people -1.8%
1925 19.4 births per 1,000 people +1.4%
1926 19.19 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
1927 18.51 births per 1,000 people -3.5%
1928 18.55 births per 1,000 people +0.2%
1929 17.98 births per 1,000 people -3.1%
1930 18.4 births per 1,000 people +2.3%
1931 17.88 births per 1,000 people -2.8%
1932 17.6 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
1933 16.53 births per 1,000 people -6.1%
1934 16.52 births per 1,000 people -0.1%
1935 15.61 births per 1,000 people -5.5%
1936 15.4 births per 1,000 people -1.4%
1937 15.09 births per 1,000 people -2.0%
1938 14.96 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1939 14.97 births per 1,000 people +0.0%
1940 13.72 births per 1,000 people -8.4%
1941 12.85 births per 1,000 people -6.3%
1942 14.28 births per 1,000 people +11.1%
1943 15.42 births per 1,000 people +8.0%
1944 15.92 births per 1,000 people +3.2%
1945 16.43 births per 1,000 people +3.3%
1946 21.03 births per 1,000 people +28.0%
1947 21.52 births per 1,000 people +2.3%
1948 21.28 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
1949 21.12 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
1950 20.69 births per 1,000 people -2.1%
1951 19.68 births per 1,000 people -4.9%
1952 19.42 births per 1,000 people -1.3%
1953 18.88 births per 1,000 people -2.8%
1954 18.88 births per 1,000 people +0.0%
1955 18.66 births per 1,000 people -1.2%
1956 18.51 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
1957 18.51 births per 1,000 people -0.0%
1958 18.16 births per 1,000 people -1.9%
1959 18.29 births per 1,000 people +0.7%
1960 17.91 births per 1,000 people -2.1%
1961 18.22 births per 1,000 people +1.7%
1962 17.68 births per 1,000 people -3.0%
1963 17.97 births per 1,000 people +1.6%
1964 17.91 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1965 17.59 births per 1,000 people -1.8%
1966 17.43 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1967 16.82 births per 1,000 people -3.5%
1968 16.61 births per 1,000 people -1.2%
1969 16.65 births per 1,000 people +0.2%
1970 16.7 births per 1,000 people +0.3%
1971 17.17 births per 1,000 people +2.8%
1972 17 births per 1,000 people -1.0%
1973 16.5 births per 1,000 people -2.9%
1974 15.35 births per 1,000 people -7.0%
1975 14.19 births per 1,000 people -7.5%
1976 13.61 births per 1,000 people -4.1%
1977 14.03 births per 1,000 people +3.1%
1978 13.85 births per 1,000 people -1.3%
1979 14.16 births per 1,000 people +2.3%
1980 14.87 births per 1,000 people +5.0%
1981 14.85 births per 1,000 people -0.1%
1982 14.63 births per 1,000 people -1.5%
1983 13.69 births per 1,000 people -6.5%
1984 13.84 births per 1,000 people +1.1%
1985 13.94 births per 1,000 people +0.7%
1986 14.05 births per 1,000 people +0.8%
1987 13.81 births per 1,000 people -1.7%
1988 13.81 births per 1,000 people +0.0%
1989 13.64 births per 1,000 people -1.3%
1990 13.53 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
1991 13.4 births per 1,000 people -0.9%
1992 13.05 births per 1,000 people -2.6%
1993 12.46 births per 1,000 people -4.6%
1994 12.42 births per 1,000 people -0.3%
1995 12.73 births per 1,000 people +2.4%
1996 12.78 births per 1,000 people +0.4%
1997 12.59 births per 1,000 people -1.5%
1998 12.71 births per 1,000 people +0.9%
1999 12.7 births per 1,000 people -0.0%
2000 13.13 births per 1,000 people +3.4%
2001 12.98 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
2002 12.72 births per 1,000 people -2.0%
2003 12.62 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
2004 12.64 births per 1,000 people +0.1%
2005 12.63 births per 1,000 people -0.1%
2006 12.88 births per 1,000 people +2.1%
2007 12.62 births per 1,000 people -2.0%
2008 12.73 births per 1,000 people +0.8%
2009 12.63 births per 1,000 people -0.8%
2010 12.69 births per 1,000 people +0.5%
2011 12.45 births per 1,000 people -1.9%
2012 12.33 births per 1,000 people -1.0%
2013 12.13 births per 1,000 people -1.6%
2014 12.06 births per 1,000 people -0.6%
2015 11.71 births per 1,000 people -2.9%
2016 11.44 births per 1,000 people -2.3%
2017 11.1 births per 1,000 people -3.0%
2018 10.95 births per 1,000 people -1.4%
2019 10.83 births per 1,000 people -1.1%
2020 10.56 births per 1,000 people -2.5%
2021 10.63 births per 1,000 people +0.6%
2022 10.37 births per 1,000 people -2.4%
2023 9.62 births per 1,000 people -7.3%

France compared with similar countries

  • France's 9.62 births per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.6 births per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
  • France's 9.62 births per 1,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9.31 births per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Birth rate in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1920 +74.5% 12.52 births per 1,000 people 21.85 births per 1,000 people
1915 -35.2% 18.16 births per 1,000 people 11.77 births per 1,000 people
1946 +28.0% 16.43 births per 1,000 people 21.03 births per 1,000 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1810s 31.43 births per 1,000 people 30.02 births per 1,000 people 32.26 births per 1,000 people 4
1820s 30.6 births per 1,000 people 29.58 births per 1,000 people 31.16 births per 1,000 people 10
1830s 29 births per 1,000 people 27.89 births per 1,000 people 29.92 births per 1,000 people 10
1840s 27.51 births per 1,000 people 25.4 births per 1,000 people 28.43 births per 1,000 people 10
1850s 26.37 births per 1,000 people 24.95 births per 1,000 people 27.91 births per 1,000 people 10
1860s 26.37 births per 1,000 people 25.62 births per 1,000 people 26.88 births per 1,000 people 10
1870s 25.25 births per 1,000 people 22.27 births per 1,000 people 26.35 births per 1,000 people 10
1880s 24.11 births per 1,000 people 22.95 births per 1,000 people 24.84 births per 1,000 people 10
1890s 22.2 births per 1,000 people 21.67 births per 1,000 people 22.75 births per 1,000 people 10
1900s 21.1 births per 1,000 people 19.84 births per 1,000 people 22.41 births per 1,000 people 10
1910s 15.23 births per 1,000 people 9.62 births per 1,000 people 19.93 births per 1,000 people 10
1920s 19.47 births per 1,000 people 17.98 births per 1,000 people 21.85 births per 1,000 people 10
1930s 16.29 births per 1,000 people 14.96 births per 1,000 people 18.4 births per 1,000 people 10
1940s 17.36 births per 1,000 people 12.85 births per 1,000 people 21.52 births per 1,000 people 10
1950s 18.97 births per 1,000 people 18.16 births per 1,000 people 20.69 births per 1,000 people 10
1960s 17.48 births per 1,000 people 16.61 births per 1,000 people 18.22 births per 1,000 people 10
1970s 15.26 births per 1,000 people 13.61 births per 1,000 people 17.17 births per 1,000 people 10
1980s 14.11 births per 1,000 people 13.64 births per 1,000 people 14.87 births per 1,000 people 10
1990s 12.84 births per 1,000 people 12.42 births per 1,000 people 13.53 births per 1,000 people 10
2000s 12.76 births per 1,000 people 12.62 births per 1,000 people 13.13 births per 1,000 people 10
2010s 11.77 births per 1,000 people 10.83 births per 1,000 people 12.69 births per 1,000 people 10
2020s 10.29 births per 1,000 people 9.62 births per 1,000 people 10.63 births per 1,000 people 4

Countries ranked near France

  1. 170 Uruguay 9.87 births per 1,000 people compare
  2. 171 United Arab Emirates 9.77 births per 1,000 people compare
  3. 172 Denmark 9.72 births per 1,000 people compare
  4. 174 Romania 9.6 births per 1,000 people compare
  5. 175 Slovakia 9.47 births per 1,000 people compare
  6. 176 Aruba 9.45 births per 1,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is birth rate in France?
Birth rate in France was 9.62 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest birth rate recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 32.26 births per 1,000 people in 1819.
What is the lowest birth rate recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 9.62 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
How does France rank for birth rate?
France ranks 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is birth rate rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Birth rate in France. Statizoid, drawing on Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/long-run-birth-rate/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Birth rate
Unit
births per 1,000 people
Source
Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 18,723 data points, 1751–2023
Last refreshed

Total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.