Period total fertility rate in Canada
Canada: Period total fertility rate was 1.26 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.26
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
26th
of 34 countries
All-time high
3.94
in 1959
All-time low
1.26
in 2023
Years of data
103
1921–2023
Period total fertility rate in Canada, 1921–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for period total fertility rate in Canada is 1.26, 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, period total fertility rate in Canada peaked at 3.94 in 1959 and was at its lowest, 1.26, in 2023.
Canada ranks 26th 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.
Period total fertility rate in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 3.53 | — |
| 1922 | 3.4 | -3.6% |
| 1923 | 3.23 | -5.0% |
| 1924 | 3.22 | -0.4% |
| 1925 | 3.13 | -2.7% |
| 1926 | 3.35 | +7.1% |
| 1927 | 3.32 | -1.1% |
| 1928 | 3.29 | -0.7% |
| 1929 | 3.22 | -2.3% |
| 1930 | 3.28 | +2.0% |
| 1931 | 3.19 | -2.7% |
| 1932 | 3.08 | -3.5% |
| 1933 | 2.86 | -7.1% |
| 1934 | 2.8 | -2.2% |
| 1935 | 2.75 | -1.8% |
| 1936 | 2.69 | -2.1% |
| 1937 | 2.64 | -2.0% |
| 1938 | 2.7 | +2.2% |
| 1939 | 2.65 | -1.8% |
| 1940 | 2.76 | +4.2% |
| 1941 | 2.82 | +2.2% |
| 1942 | 2.95 | +4.8% |
| 1943 | 3.03 | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 3 | -1.0% |
| 1945 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 3.36 | +12.0% |
| 1947 | 3.58 | +6.6% |
| 1948 | 3.42 | -4.4% |
| 1949 | 3.44 | +0.6% |
| 1950 | 3.43 | -0.3% |
| 1951 | 3.48 | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 3.62 | +4.2% |
| 1953 | 3.7 | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 3.81 | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 3.82 | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 3.84 | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 3.93 | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 3.89 | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 3.94 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 3.91 | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 3.85 | -1.4% |
| 1962 | 3.77 | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 3.68 | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 3.51 | -4.6% |
| 1965 | 3.15 | -10.3% |
| 1966 | 2.81 | -10.6% |
| 1967 | 2.6 | -7.8% |
| 1968 | 2.46 | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 2.4 | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 2.31 | -3.8% |
| 1971 | 2.14 | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 1.97 | -8.1% |
| 1973 | 1.88 | -4.6% |
| 1974 | 1.83 | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 1.83 | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 1.78 | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 1.75 | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 1.7 | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 1.7 | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 1.68 | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.65 | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 1.64 | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 1.62 | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 1.62 | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 1.61 | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 1.59 | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.58 | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 1.6 | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.66 | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 1.72 | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 1.72 | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 1.71 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.69 | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 1.69 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 1.67 | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.63 | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 1.57 | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 1.56 | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.55 | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 1.51 | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.54 | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 1.52 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.55 | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 1.56 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.58 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 1.63 | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 1.67 | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 1.7 | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 1.69 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.65 | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 1.63 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 1.63 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.61 | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.61 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 1.6 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.59 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.54 | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5 | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 1.47 | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 1.41 | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 1.42 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 1.31 | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 1.26 | -4.3% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1.26 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.47, 86% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 3.3 | 3.13 | 3.53 | 9 |
| 1930s | 2.86 | 2.64 | 3.28 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.14 | 2.76 | 3.58 | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.75 | 3.43 | 3.94 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.21 | 2.4 | 3.91 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.89 | 1.7 | 2.31 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.63 | 1.58 | 1.68 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.65 | 1.55 | 1.72 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.59 | 1.51 | 1.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.58 | 1.47 | 1.65 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.35 | 1.26 | 1.42 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More population data for Canada
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2634 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 45,891 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7644 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.3863 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.327 (2100)
- Population density 6.1 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.33 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is period total fertility rate in Canada?
- Period total fertility rate in Canada was 1.26 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest period total fertility rate recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.94 in 1959.
- What is the lowest period total fertility rate recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 in 2023.
- How does Canada rank for period total fertility rate?
- Canada ranks 26th out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
- Is period total fertility rate 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Period total fertility rate. 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).