The report by the New York-based establishment ranked Kenya at position eight in Africa with Nigeria at the top of the chart in the number of babies born every 4 minutes. The report indicates that 57 babies are born every 4 minutes in Nigeria.
Notably, Kenya’s birth rate registered a 1.1 per cent decline from the previous year. In 2022 the country recorded approximately 27 births per 1000 people and 28 births per 1000 people in 2021.
In 2017, another report indicated that Kenyan women were having the lowest number of children in East Africa, with Uganda and Burundi topping the list.
In the neighbouring countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, 16, 3, 25, and 3, infants are born every 4 minutes respectively.
The global report takes into account the population growth rate and the birth rates of the 2022 estimates.
Some of the countries at the top include India with 172 newborns and China with 103 newborns. The two countries, however, recorded slightly lower birth rate as compared to their high population.
However, despite the high numbers, the report noted that the population growth rate has declined since the 1960s.
Conclusively, increased wealth in the world was cited as a cause of fewer births. Also, certain government policies discourage large families.
Furthermore, the frequent rural to urban migration contributes to the decreasing population. The research stated that by 2100, the population growth is anticipated to drop by 0.1 per cent.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE