Between 2010 and 2015, West Africa and Central Africa have recorded the highest fecundity rates (average number of children a woman gives birth to) of Africa, a UN report on global trends in terms of fecundity revealed.

With a fecundity rate of 5.8 children per woman over the period considered, Central Africa comes first, not only in Africa but also worldwide. West Africa follows with a rate of 5.6 children a woman.

Globally, East Africa (4.9 children per woman), North Africa (3.3 children per woman) and Southern Africa (2.54 children per woman), are next.

Overall, nine out of the 10 countries with the highest fecundity rates from 2010 to 2015 are African. In order, they are Niger, Somalia, Mali, Chad, Angola, DR Congo, Burundi and Uganda. Eastern Timor is the only non-African country to be part of this Top 10. It comes ninth before Gambia.

The global average fecundity rate over the period considered is of 2.5 children per woman. For Africa, it is 4.7 children a woman. Asia and South America-Caribbean recorded a rate of 2.2 children per woman.

Europe has the lowest fecundity rate, 1.6 children per woman.

According to UN’s forecasts, global average fecundity rate should drop to 2.4 children per woman in 2030 and 2.2 children per woman in 2050. This rate should significantly decrease in Africa reaching 3.9 children per woman in 2030 and 3.1 children in 2050.