2014 Rate of Natural Increase

In 2014, the world’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between the crude birth rate and crude death rate, not including migration—stood at approximately 1.2% per year, equating to about 12 additional people per 1,000 population annually. This global average masked significant regional variation: Africa had the highest RNI, with sub-Saharan countries such as Niger and Uganda experiencing rates above 3% due to high birth rates and declining mortality. Asia’s RNI was moderate, with South and Southeast Asian countries like India and the Philippines showing higher rates than East Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea, which had near-zero or even negative natural increase due to aging populations and low fertility. Europe, in contrast, had the lowest RNI, with many countries—such as Germany, Italy, and Russia—experiencing natural decrease, where deaths outnumbered births. Latin America and the Caribbean had intermediate rates, generally declining but still positive, while North America’s RNI was modest, with the United States maintaining a slightly positive rate and Canada relying more on immigration for population growth. These differences reflected a global demographic transition, with less developed regions experiencing rapid natural increase and more developed countries facing stagnation or decline.

Data from US Census International Database