Many are Discussing the Child-Free Choice; Which Country Has the Lowest Birth Rate in the World?

A private conversation about the life choices of having and not having children has resurfaced following comments from influencer Gita Savitri, who advocates for being child-free, sparking public reaction.

Initially, Gita responded to a netizen's compliment about her youthful appearance on her Instagram account. Gita attributed her youthful looks to not having children, allowing her more sleep and funds for skincare.

Her lighthearted remark ignited a debate, primarily from those who have children. Regardless of the controversy, which countries have populations that prefer having fewer children?

This can be determined by examining each country's birth rate. According to data from The World Factbook of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), several countries have the lowest birth rates globally.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a French archipelago, holds the top spot with an average of 6.47 births per 1,000 people in 2022.

Second is Monaco with 6.66 births. Third is Andorra with 6.88 births.

Fourth is South Korea with 6.92 births. Fifth and sixth are Japan and Italy, both with 6.95 births.

Above these figures, the average birth rate exceeds 7 births. Indonesia, in contrast, reaches 15.32 births.

Below is a list of the 10 countries with the lowest crude birth rates in 2022, according to the CIA:

1. Saint Pierre & Miquelon 6.47 births
2. Monaco 6.66 births per 1,000 population
3. Andorra 6.88 births
4. South Korea 6.92 births
5. Japan 6.95 births
6. Italy 6.95 births
7. Spain 7.13 births
8. Taiwan 7.39 births
9. Greece 7.61 births
10. Puerto Rico 7.87 births

(Also read: Birth Rates in ASEAN Decline Over the Past Three Decades)