Ukraine has been ranked among the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world – BI

Ukraine has found itself among the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world. According to a study by the World Bank Group, in 2024 the country ranked third in the global rankings, behind only San Marino and South Korea. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in the birth rate, official Ukrainian statistics also show a rise in mortality, which is exacerbating the demographic crisis. This is reported by Business Insider, citing a study by the World Bank Group.

Ukraine is among the top three countries with the lowest birth rates

World Bank experts analysed birth rate data for 2024, using two key indicators: the crude birth rate – the number of live births per 1,000 inhabitants per year – and the total fertility rate, which reflects the average number of children a woman gives birth to over her lifetime. According to the study, in Ukraine in 2024 there were just 5.5 births per 1,000 people.

At the same time, the total fertility rate stood at approximately one child per woman, which is significantly below the level required for natural population replacement.

Which countries ranked ahead of Ukraine?

According to the study, South Korea took second place among the countries with the lowest birth rates, with a rate of 4.7 births per 1,000 people. The world’s lowest birth rate was recorded in San Marino – 4.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. Ukraine thus ranked among the top three countries with the lowest birth rates.

African countries lead the way in fertility rates

The picture is quite the opposite for countries with the highest birth rates. The Central African Republic takes first place, with 46.2 births per 1,000 people recorded in 2024. It is followed by:

• Chad – 43.3 births per 1,000 people;

• Somalia – 42.3 births per 1,000 people.

Their rates are almost eight to ten times higher than the birth rate in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, the death rate continues to exceed the birth rate

The latest Ukrainian statistics also point to an alarming demographic situation. For instance, the Opendatabot service previously reported, citing information from the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, that 73, 292 children were born in the country in the first half of 2026. During the same period, 259,853 deaths were recorded, marking the first officially recorded increase in the number of deaths in the last five years.