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Fertility in South Africa sits at 2.17 children per woman in 2026, above the replacement level of 2.1. Over the preceding five years it has fallen by 0.08 children per woman. About 1.2 million babies are born a year, a crude birth rate of 17.8 per 1,000. Its net reproduction rate sits at 1.00, right at the 1.0 replacement mark. Women are having children at a mean age of 28.3 years. Mothers aged 15-19 account for 12% of births. By 2100, projections see it reaching 1.74 children per woman.
Fertility rate
2.17 children/woman
Birth rate
17.8 per 1,000 people
Total births
1.2M
Mean age at birth
28.3 years
South Africa's fertility rate has fallen dramatically from 6.1 children per woman in 1958 to 2.17 today, still above the 2.1 replacement level. This decline is projected to continue, dropping below replacement to 1.74 by 2100. Teen pregnancy remains notable, with 12% of births to mothers aged 15-19.