birthrate

American  

[burth-reyt] / ˈbɜrθˌreɪt /

noun

• birthrates
  plural

1. the proportion of births to the total population in a place in a given time, usually expressed as a quantity per 1000 of population.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• birthrates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of birthrate

First recorded in 1855–60; birth + rate ¹

Explanation

A birthrate is the number of babies born during a specific time period within a certain population. When experts calculate how much a country or region's population is growing or shrinking, they compare the birthrate with rates of deaths and migration. This usually means determining the number of live births for every population of 1,000. Birthrate is figured using census data and a worldwide registration system that records new births. From the 1950s to the 2020s, the average global birthrate has significantly and consistently declined, though the global population has greatly increased.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

birthrate birthrates

Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up 14.3 percent of Israel's population, according to the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, but have a much higher birthrate than secular Israelis.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

The falling birthrate is also a major factor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

As recently as the 1990s, Thailand’s plunging birthrate was celebrated as a success by demographers worried about overpopulation and resource scarcity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

The change also comes as Japan faces a declining birthrate and a rapidly aging population.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

Historical records show that frontier populations can increase at astonishing rates; in the early nineteenth century, the annual U.S. birthrate climbed as high as 5 percent.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

First felt in the Midwest and Northeast, that decline in birthrates is now hitting campuses nationwide.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

In recent years, American immigration advocates have argued that falling birthrates create a need for more immigrant labor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

An analysis by O’Brien found that birthrates in large urban counties fell 18% between 2010 and 2024, the biggest drop of any county type.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Plus, the Pentagon will start screening servicemembers for low testosterone, and China restricts chatbot romances to boost birthrates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Take a look at the following chart, which shows the birthrates in the United States from 1910 to 1950.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell