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30. Sierra Leone -

Average fertility rate per woman: 3.71

With a high fertility rate, this West African nation sadly also has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. For every 100 live-born children, one mother dies due to complications of giving birth.

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29. Papua New Guinea -

Average fertility rate per woman: 3.85

Located in Oceania, Papua New Guinea also has one of the highest fertility rates.

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28. Republic of the Congo -

Average fertility rate per woman: 3.86

The Republic of Congo's fertility rate keeps it high on the global ranking.

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27. Ethiopia -

Average fertility rate per woman: 3.92

Despite economic development, the fertility rate in Ethiopia has remained in the high range because of partly socio-cultural norms, patriarchy, and the lower status of women.

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26. Central African Republic -

Average fertility rate per woman: 3.99

Because of high fertility rates, around 48% of the Central African Republic's population is less than 14 years old, adding more pressure to the country's economy.

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25. Liberia -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.03

In 2006, Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50%). This has declined since, however; it stood at 2.37% in 2023.

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24. Timor-Leste -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.09

Timor-Leste is the country in Southeast Asia with the highest fertility rate.

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23. Burkina Faso -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.14

Burkina Faso is another country where more needs to be done to lower the fertility rate.

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22. Senegal -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.17

In low-income countries such as Senegal, more children mean more future providers, which is one of the reasons behind its high fertility rate.

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21. Togo -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.18

Togo has seen a stark decline in fertility rate when compared to 1966 (6.51).

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20. Equatorial Guinea -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.19

A lack of female education has contributed to the country's high birth rates.

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19. Tanzania -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.33

Because of high poverty levels, many people in Tanzania get married early, which in turn leads to more kids.

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18. Zambia -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.49

Zambia sees rapid population growth due to high levels of fertility. For example, the country's population has grown from 5.6 million in 1980 to 20 million in 2023.

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17. Cameroon -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.5

Cameroon is among several nations that adhere to pronatalist population policies, explaining the higher fertility rates in the country.

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16. Afghanistan -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.53

The population of Afghanistan in 2023 was 42,239,854, a 2.7% increase from 2022.

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15. Sudan -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.54

Although Sudan's fertility rate is high, the nation has still seen birth rates fall significantly from more than 7.0 in the '70s.

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14. Nigeria -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.57

Nigeria is forecasted to become among the most populated countries in the world by 2050, as the birth rate is still relatively high.

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13. Guinea-Bissau -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.65

Guinea-Bissau's fertility rate has decreased tremendously since 1985 (6.74).

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12. Mozambique -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.74 

While Mozambique has also seen its fertility rate decline, the country is still a long way away from reaching the rate needed to be in line with economic growth.

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11. Guinea -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.82

Recent declines in Guinea's birth rate have been very low, and a lot more needs to be done.

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10. Burundi -

Average fertility rate per woman: 4.96

While still high, Burundi has also seen its fertility rate fall to some extent in the past decade.

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9. South Sudan -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.2

Since South Sudan's independence in 2011, it has faced a host of challenges, including its high fertility rate.

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8. Somalia -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.22

Somalia has been plagued with several crises in the last few decades, but its long-term demographic issues continue at an all-time high. 

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7. Uganda -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.26

As in most countries, the fertility rate is the highest in Uganda's rural areas.

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6. Chad -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.35

Chad's high fertility rate, combined with high maternal deaths, has made it especially dangerous for women.

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5. Benin -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.39

Benin has a relatively high teenage pregnancy rate, with 92 of every 1,000 girls from the ages of 15 to 19 giving birth.

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4. Mali -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.45

Mali's fertility rate has only declined slightly in the last few decades, which is why it's still ranking high.

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3. Democratic Republic of the Congo -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.56

The DRC is among the poorest countries in the world, which means that a high fertility rate is simply adding more pressure on its development.

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2. Angola -

Average fertility rate per woman: 5.76

Contraceptive use and family planning education is low in Angola. On average, a woman gives birth to more than five kids in her lifetime.

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1. Niger -

Average fertility rate per woman: 6.73

With a fertility rate of almost seven children per woman, Niger is the country with the highest fertility rate in the world. 

Sources: (CIA) (United Nations) (Insider Monkey) 

See also: The countries with the best healthcare in the world

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