European Union Birth Rate
Crude birth rate per 1,000 people SP.DYN.CBRT.IN
European Union's birth rate was 7.8 in 2025, ranked 191st globally. This represents a 4.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
European Union's birth rate stood at 7.8 in 2025, a decline of +0.4 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 7.8 by 2025. European Union ranked 191st globally.
The European Union’s birth rate has fallen dramatically over the 65‑year span from the all‑time peak of 18.74 in 1960 to a trough of 7.79 in 2025, placing the bloc at rank 191 globally. This decline reflects long‑term demographic aging, higher female labor participation, and widespread access to contraception, trends that have been mirrored in other low‑fertility societies such as Finland (7.80) and Portugal (7.76). The 2025 figure of 7.79 is identical to Thailand’s rate, underscoring the EU’s position among the world’s lowest‑birth‑rate economies. Persistent low fertility threatens to shrink the working‑age population and increase fiscal pressures on pension and health‑care systems. Unless policies that combine affordable childcare, flexible work arrangements, and immigration reforms succeed in raising fertility or offsetting population loss, the downward trajectory is likely to continue, deepening the demographic challenge for the Union.
Data & projection
| Year | Birth Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 7.5 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 7.8 | - | - |
| 2025 | 7.8 | −0.4 | #191 |
| 2023 | 8.2 | −0.5 | #28 |
| 2022 | 8.7 | −0.5 | #33 |
| 2021 | 9.2 | +0.1 | #33 |
| 2020 | 9.1 | −0.2 | #31 |
| 2019 | 9.3 | −0.2 | #29 |
| 2018 | 9.5 | −0.2 | #28 |
| 2017 | 9.7 | −0.1 | #27 |
| 2016 | 9.9 | +0.1 | #25 |
| 2015 | 9.8 | −0.1 | #23 |
| 2014 | 9.9 | +0.1 | #22 |
| 2013 | 9.7 | −0.3 | #25 |
| 2012 | 10.0 | −0.1 | #22 |
| 2011 | 10.1 | −0.3 | #22 |
| 2010 | 10.4 | −0.0 | #23 |
Analysis
European Union's birth rate was 7.8 in 2025, a decline of −0.4 from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 7.8 by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
European Union's birth rate was 7.8 in 2025. Ranked 191st globally. This represents a 4.6% decrease from the previous year.
European Union's birth rate peaked at 18.7 in 1960.
The lowest birth rate in European Union was 7.8 in 2025.
European Union ranks 191st globally in birth rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SP.DYN.CBRT.IN. Data sourced from World Bank.
European Union's birth rate is projected to reach 7.8 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The birth rate of European Union in 2025 was 7.8. This ranks 191st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_european-union_birth-rate,
title = {European Union Birth Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/european-union/birth-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}