2021 Rate of Natural Increase

In 2021, the global rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth rates and death rates, excluding migration—stood at approximately 0.9% per year, reflecting a continued but slowing growth of the world’s population. Africa had the highest RNI, with many countries such as Niger and Angola exceeding 2.5% annually, driven by high fertility rates and relatively young populations. In contrast, Europe experienced a negative or near-zero RNI, with countries like Germany, Italy, and Russia facing more deaths than births, resulting in natural population decline. Asia’s RNI was moderate, with regions like South Asia (notably India and Pakistan) showing higher growth than East Asia, where countries such as China and Japan saw very low or even negative rates. Latin America and the Caribbean had a declining but still positive RNI, while North America’s rate was low, with the United States and Canada relying more on immigration for population growth. These differences highlight the demographic transition, with many developing countries still experiencing high natural increase, while developed nations face aging populations and stagnation or decline in natural growth.

Data from US Census International Database