Total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada
Canada: Total fertility rate: births per woman was 1.26 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.26 births per woman
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
28th
of 34 countries
All-time high
3.94 births per woman
in 1959
All-time low
1.26 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
103
1921–2023
Total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada, 1921–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada is 1.26 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 103 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada peaked at 3.94 births per woman in 1959 and was at its lowest, 1.26 births per woman, in 2023.
Canada ranks 28th of 34 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 103 years of available data.
Total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 3.53 births per woman | — |
| 1922 | 3.4 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1923 | 3.23 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1924 | 3.22 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1925 | 3.13 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1926 | 3.35 births per woman | +7.1% |
| 1927 | 3.32 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1928 | 3.29 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1929 | 3.22 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1930 | 3.28 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1931 | 3.19 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1932 | 3.08 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1933 | 2.86 births per woman | -7.1% |
| 1934 | 2.8 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1935 | 2.75 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1936 | 2.69 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1937 | 2.64 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1938 | 2.7 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1939 | 2.65 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1940 | 2.76 births per woman | +4.2% |
| 1941 | 2.82 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1942 | 2.95 births per woman | +4.8% |
| 1943 | 3.03 births per woman | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 3 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1945 | 3 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 3.36 births per woman | +12.0% |
| 1947 | 3.58 births per woman | +6.6% |
| 1948 | 3.42 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1949 | 3.44 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1950 | 3.43 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1951 | 3.48 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 3.62 births per woman | +4.2% |
| 1953 | 3.7 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 3.81 births per woman | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 3.82 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 3.84 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 3.93 births per woman | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 3.89 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 3.94 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 3.91 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 3.85 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1962 | 3.77 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 3.68 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 3.51 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1965 | 3.15 births per woman | -10.3% |
| 1966 | 2.81 births per woman | -10.6% |
| 1967 | 2.6 births per woman | -7.8% |
| 1968 | 2.46 births per woman | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 2.4 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 2.31 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1971 | 2.14 births per woman | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 1.97 births per woman | -8.1% |
| 1973 | 1.88 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1974 | 1.83 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 1.83 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 1.78 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 1.75 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 1.7 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 1.7 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 1.68 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.65 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 1.64 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 1.62 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 1.62 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 1.61 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 1.59 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.58 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 1.6 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.66 births per woman | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 1.72 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 1.72 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 1.71 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.69 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 1.69 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 1.67 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.63 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 1.57 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 1.56 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.55 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 1.51 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.54 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 1.52 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.55 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 1.56 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.58 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 1.63 births per woman | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 1.67 births per woman | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 1.7 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 1.69 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.65 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 1.63 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 1.63 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.61 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.61 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 1.6 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.59 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.54 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 1.47 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 1.41 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 1.42 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 1.31 births per woman | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 1.26 births per woman | -4.3% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1.26 births per woman is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.48 births per woman, 85% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 3.3 births per woman | 3.13 births per woman | 3.53 births per woman | 9 |
| 1930s | 2.86 births per woman | 2.64 births per woman | 3.28 births per woman | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.14 births per woman | 2.76 births per woman | 3.58 births per woman | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.75 births per woman | 3.43 births per woman | 3.94 births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.21 births per woman | 2.4 births per woman | 3.91 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.89 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 2.31 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.63 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 1.68 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.65 births per woman | 1.55 births per woman | 1.72 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.59 births per woman | 1.51 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.58 births per woman | 1.47 births per woman | 1.65 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.35 births per woman | 1.26 births per woman | 1.42 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More population data for Canada
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2634 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.33 million people (2100)
- Population density 6.1 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.3863 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7644 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada?
- Total fertility rate: births per woman in Canada was 1.26 births per woman in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.94 births per woman in 1959.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Canada rank for total fertility rate: births per woman?
- Canada ranks 28th out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 103 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime if she experienced the fertility rates of a specific year.