- According to the United Nations, more than half of the population growth on the planet between now and 2050 will be concentrated in Africa.
- 3 African countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Ethiopia, are expected to surpass the currently populous countries of Bangladesh, Mexico and Brazil by 2100.
In contrast, population trends in Europe represent a sharp decline as fertility in European countries is below the level required to replace the current population, i.e. 2.1 children per woman.
As a result, countries such as Japan, Ukraine, Latvia and Romania are expected to see a 15% decline in their population by 2050.
In this report, we will learn about the countries that have the highest rates of population growth in the world and the factors that affect this increase.
Which country has the highest population growth rate?
The latest demographic statistics indicate that Syria has the highest population growth rate of 6.39%.
The country's population increased from 4.57 million to 21.32 million between 1960 and 2021, or 366.3% in 61 years.
Syria's rapid population growth can be attributed to the under-five mortality rate, which is 22.3 per 1,000 live births, while the global average is 38 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to UNICEF.
Our methodology
To find out which countries have the highest rates of population growth in 2023, we used the CIA World Fact Book database, which collected the latest statistics for all countries regarding population.
To understand the factors that influence population growth rates by country, we explored under-five mortality rates per 1,000 births in these countries.
Other sources for this study include the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Bank, and the Pew Research Center, among others.
Top 10 countries in terms of population growth rates
1- Syria 6.39%
Syria comes first on the list of countries with the highest population rates. In light of the population growth of 2.54% between 2019 and 2020, which led to the addition of 0.43 million to its population.
- Although economic conditions in Syria are deteriorating amid displacement and political crises, the country's current population trends have made it the fastest growing country.
2- South Sudan 4.78%
- Although the under-five mortality rate in South Sudan per 1,000 live births is 98.7.
The fertility rate in South Sudan of 5.2 makes the population growth rate the second highest in the world.
The country's population is 12 million people, and it is estimated that about 82% of South Sudan's population faces poverty.
3- Niger 3.66%
As evidenced by the highest fertility rate of 6.82 in 2021, Niger ranks third among the countries with the highest rates of population growth.
As expected, a large portion of the country's population, 41.8% to be exact, lives in extreme poverty according to World Bank data.
- According to projections by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Niger will experience the largest population increase by 2100, which will have increased by 578%.
4- Burundi 3.59%
Burundi, a landlocked country in Africa, is among the poorest countries in the world, with more than 70% of the population living below the poverty line.
But despite food insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions, the country's population growth rate of 3.59% is one of the highest in the world.
The fertility rate in Burundi reached 5.08 in 2021, while the mortality rate of children under the age of five in the country is 52.6 per 1,000 births.
5- Equatorial Guinea 3.36%
- Although Equatorial Guinea is experiencing rapid economic growth from oil and gas revenues, about 70% of the country's population remains below the poverty line.
- Also, according to 2021 estimates, Equatorial Guinea's fertility rate is 4.27, and the country's population growth rate of 3.36% indicates how crowded it is.
6- Angola 3.34%
Although it has an infant mortality rate of 47.16, Angola's population growth rate is one of the highest worldwide.
The lack of family planning and limited awareness of birth control measures also contributed to the country's current population growth rate of 3.34%.
7- Benin 3.31%
Another African country on the list of countries with the highest rates of population growth is Benin, which has a current population of just over 13 million people.
The country's under-five mortality rate is 83.5, according to UNICEF, and about 40% of the population suffers from extreme poverty.
8- Uganda 3.22%
Uganda's fertility rate, as of 2023, is 5.26, the seventh highest worldwide. Therefore, the country's population is on an upward trajectory and growing at a current pace of 3.22%.
Like the trend in other countries with the highest rates of population growth, about 30% of Uganda's population is poor, earning less than $1.77 a day.
9- Democratic Republic of the Congo 3.13%
- The population increase in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the year 2100 is expected to be higher than 304%.
- And when we consider the population increase of 3.13% per year, it is no wonder that Congo is one of the most populous countries in Africa.
10- Chad 3.05%
Chad's current fertility rate of 5.35 places it among the top 10 countries in terms of population growth rates.
Interestingly, the country has made significant progress in reducing poverty, as evidenced by the decline in its least poor population from 47% in 2011 to 42% in 2018, according to the World Bank.
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