Fewer children, longer lives
Countries where women have fewer children are, almost without exception, countries where people live longer.
Countries with higher Births per Woman tend to have lower Life Expectancy at Birth.
Very strong link: a correlation of −0.82 across 215 countries.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
As countries develop, both mortality and birth rates fall, a shift demographers call the demographic transition. Births per woman and life expectancy move in opposite directions across today’s countries.
Each dot in the chart is one of 215 countries. The correlation between Births per Woman and Life Expectancy at Birth is -0.82, a very strong relationship: about 67% of the differences in Life Expectancy at Birth from place to place line up with Births per Woman. Ranked instead of measured, the link is -0.79.
The highest Life Expectancy at Birth is in Monaco (86.5), San Marino (85.8) and Hong Kong (85.4); the lowest is in Nigeria (54.6), Chad (55.2) and Central African Republic (57.7). The median place has 74.7 for Life Expectancy at Birth and 1.91 for Births per Woman.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Israel, Monaco and Saint Martin have a much higher Life Expectancy at Birth than their Births per Woman would predict, while Lesotho, Nigeria and South Sudan have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Births per Woman is from 2024 and Life Expectancy at Birth from 2024.
Highest Life Expectancy at Birth
| Place | Life Expectancy at Birth | Births per Woman |
|---|---|---|
| Monaco | 86.5 | 2.1 |
| San Marino | 85.8 | 1.16 |
| Hong Kong | 85.4 | 0.84 |
| Kuwait | 84.6 | 1.56 |
| Switzerland | 84.4 | 1.29 |
Lowest Life Expectancy at Birth
| Place | Life Expectancy at Birth | Births per Woman |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 54.6 | 4.38 |
| Chad | 55.2 | 6.03 |
| Central African Republic | 57.7 | 5.95 |
| South Sudan | 57.7 | 3.79 |
| Lesotho | 57.8 | 2.66 |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Births per Woman
- Full ranking and sources for Life Expectancy at Birth