The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) is the number of live births born per 1,000 population annually. Kenya had a Crude Birth Rate of 27.9 live births per 1,000 population in 2019.[1]
According to the UN World Population Prospects, Kenya had a Crude Birth Rate of 27.1 live births per 1,000 population in 2023, down from a Crude Birth Rate of 49.3 live births per 1,000 population in 1950.
The chart below shows the trend in the crude birth rate in Kenya from 1950 to 2023.
Quick Facts:
- Crude Birth Rate in rural areas in 2019 – 26.8 births per 1,000 population
- Crude Birth Rate in urban areas in 2019 – 30.5 births per 1,000 population
- The county with the highest Crude Birth Rate – Mandera
- The county with the lowest Crude Birth Rate – Makueni
The Crude Birth Rate in Kenya has been decreasing
Between 2009 and 2019, the Crude Birth Rate declined by 27.2%, from 38.4 births in 2009 to 27.9 births in 2019.
Rural areas in Kenya had a lower Crude Birth Rate than urban areas. In 2019, the CBR in urban areas was 30.5 live births per 1,000 population, a decline of 1.9% from a CBR of 31.1 births per 1,000 population in 2009.
In rural areas, the Crude Birth Rate declined by 37.5%, from 42.9 live births per 1,000 population in 2009 to 26.8 live births per 1,000 population in 2019.
The difference in Crude Birth Rates between rural and urban areas in Kenya is due to differences in age structure. People with a high likelihood of giving birth (i.e., are in their reproductive years) are more likely to be found in urban areas. [2]
Crude Birth Rates by County
According to the 2019 census results, Makueni County had the lowest Crude Birth Rate of 19.8 births per 1,000 population, followed by Nyeri County with a CBR of 20.8 births.
Counties with the highest Crude Birth Rates include Mandera County, with a CBR of 49.4 births per 1,000 population; Turkana, with a CBR of 45.7 births; and Marsabit, with a CBR of 44.3.
However, the Kenya Bureau of Statistics raised issues with the data quality reported in Mandera, Turkana, Wajir, and Marsabit, arguing distortion and overreporting of women of reproductive age, giving rise to high percentage changes in the CBR of these regions.[3]
The table below shows the Crude Birth Rate in Kenya by County in 2019.
|
County |
Crude Birth Rate (per 1,000 Population) |
|
49.4 |
|
|
45.7 |
|
|
44.3 |
|
|
44.2 |
|
|
36.5 |
|
|
35 |
|
|
33.1 |
|
|
32.9 |
|
|
32.3 |
|
|
31.5 |
|
|
30.8 |
|
|
30.5 |
|
|
29.3 |
|
|
29 |
|
|
29 |
|
|
28.3 |
|
|
28.1 |
|
|
28 |
|
|
28 |
|
|
27.9 |
|
|
27.5 |
|
|
27.4 |
|
|
27.2 |
|
|
27 |
|
|
26.9 |
|
|
26.8 |
|
|
26.6 |
|
|
26.5 |
|
|
26.4 |
|
|
26.2 |
|
|
25.2 |
|
|
25.1 |
|
|
25 |
|
|
24.7 |
|
|
23.7 |
|
|
23.5 |
|
|
23.1 |
|
|
22.8 |
|
|
22.7 |
|
|
22.3 |
|
|
22.1 |
|
|
21.9 |
|
|
21.7 |
|
|
21.6 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
20.8 |
|
|
19.8 |
See Also
- Kenya UN Population Prospects 2024-2100
- Number of people per household in Kenya
- Number of deaths in Kenya per year
- Age structure in Kenya: Number of males and females by age and sex
References
[1] KNBS. (2022). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Analytical report on fertility and nuptiality (Vol. VI, pp. 34-42).
[2] KNBS. (2022). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Analytical report on fertility and nuptiality (Vol. VI, pp. 34-42).
[3] KNBS. (2022). 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Analytical report on fertility and nuptiality (Vol. VI, pp. 34-42).
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition
