The country with the highest birth rate right now is the Central African Republic , with around 45 births per 1,000 people per year based on recent global rankings.

Quick Scoop

When people ask “what country has the highest birth rate,” they usually mean the crude birth rate : how many babies are born each year per 1,000 people in the population. Recent international datasets that compile World Bank and UN numbers show the Central African Republic at the top of the list, followed closely by countries like Somalia, Chad, Niger, and DR Congo , which also have very high birth rates.

These high birth rates are most common in parts of sub‑Saharan Africa , where families tend to be larger, populations are younger, and access to contraception and education—especially for girls—can be more limited. On the other end of the spectrum, some places such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and parts of Southern Europe have very low birth rates, often well under 10 births per 1,000 people.

Mini table: top birth‑rate countries (latest data)

Rank Country Approx. birth rate (births per 1,000 people)
1 Central African Republic ≈45
2 Somalia ≈43–44
3 Chad ≈43
4 Niger ≈42
5 DR Congo ≈41–42
(All figures are approximate and based on recent World Bank–style country rankings and UN‑linked datasets. )

A few fast facts

  • High‑birth‑rate countries today are mostly low‑ or lower‑middle‑income nations with young populations and limited access to family planning.
  • Low‑birth‑rate countries are often richer, more urbanized, and have higher education levels, especially for women, plus higher living costs and later marriage/childbearing.
  • Globally, the average birth rate is now under 20 births per 1,000 people, and it’s been trending downward for decades.

In many discussions on forums and news sites, this topic often appears alongside debates about aging societies, “baby busts,” and whether very high‑birth‑rate countries can provide enough jobs, schools, and healthcare for fast‑growing populations.

TL;DR: The Central African Republic currently has the highest birth rate in the world, at roughly 45 births per 1,000 people each year , with several other sub‑Saharan African countries close behind.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.