According to ec.europa.eu, in 2024 the total fertility rate in the European Union (EU) was 1,34 live births per woman — the lowest figure since data collection began in 2001. Over the past 20 years the rate has remained below the replacement level of 2,10 and has ranged from 1,34 to 1,57.
Regional distribution for 2024
Of the 1165 regions of the EU, in 439 regions (37,7%) the total fertility rate was below the EU average in 2024, in 714 regions (61,3%) it was above the average, and in 12 regions it matched the average. The EU average in 2024 was 1,34.
Regions with values of at least 1,75 and with the lowest rates
Rates of at least 1,75 live births per woman were observed in 14 regions of Bulgaria and France, in 6 regions of Germany, in 3 regions of Slovenia, in 2 regions each of Hungary, the Netherlands and Romania, and in individual regions of Ireland, Greece, Croatia and Slovakia.
The overall fertility level was particularly low in Spain (notably in the north‑west and in some island regions) and across much of Italy (including Sardinia). The lowest rates — below 1,00 live births per woman — were recorded in 16 Spanish regions, 7 Polish regions, 5 Italian regions, 3 Greek regions and 2 regions each in Germany and Lithuania.
The data above present regional differences in fertility rates across the EU for 2024 and illustrate the presence of both relatively high and very low local values.
