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Fertility in Zambia sits at 3.91 children per woman in 2026, above the replacement level of 2.1. Over the preceding five years it has fallen by 0.34 children per woman. About 721 thousand babies are born a year, a crude birth rate of 32.0 per 1,000. Its net reproduction rate sits at 1.82, above the 1.0 replacement mark. Women are having children at a mean age of 28.3 years. Mothers aged 15-19 account for 20% of births. By 2100, projections see it reaching 2.08 children per woman.
Fertility rate
3.91 children/woman
Birth rate
32.0 per 1,000 people
Total births
721.1K
Mean age at birth
28.3 years
Zambia's fertility rate has fallen dramatically from 7.4 children per woman in 1975 to 3.91 today, still well above the 2.1 replacement level. This decline is projected to continue, dropping below replacement to 2.08 by 2100. Teen pregnancy remains notable, with 20% of births to mothers aged 15-19.