Central African Republic Birth Rate

The Central African Republic’s birth rate has remained among the world’s highest, standing at 47.30 births per 1,000 people in 2025, the top ranking globally according to World Bank data. Over the 65‑year series from 1960, the rate rose from 43.53 to an all‑time peak of 47.91 in 1987, before falling to a trough of 41.41 in 2002, and then accelerating again in the subsequent two decades. This pattern mirrors the demographic dynamics of neighboring low‑income states; for example, Somalia recorded a comparable figure of 42.06 births per 1,000 in the same year, while Chad’s rate was 41.72. The persistence of a high fertility environment reflects limited access to family‑planning services, high child mortality, and cultural norms favoring large families. Unless substantial investments in reproductive health and education are made, the birth rate is likely to stay near the current level, keeping the Central African Republic at the forefront of global fertility rankings.