Which country recorded the highest birth rate in 2017 ?

While the world's fertility rate is predicted to fall significantly (see picture), there are countries such Niger that continue to have comparatively high birth rates as compared to other nations, especially in the so-called western countries.

Niger registered the highest birth rate of 44.8 (births/1,000 population), prompting Niger's president to sound the alarm over his country's world-leading birth rate, labelling the average of over seven children per household a "handicap" to development in the impoverished west African nation.

By contrast, developed nations such as the United States recorded a birth rate of just 12.5 (births/1,000 population).

The United Kingdom and Australia recorded equal birth rates of 12.1 (births/1,000 population) in 2017.

A perpetual food crisis in Niger is compounded by doggedly high fertility rates. With an average of 7.6 children per woman, Niger has the world’s highest rates.

Poverty, ignorance and poor access to contraception are contributing factors, as are cultural issues like competition between wives. Men in Niger tend to be polygamous, and local doctors note that their spouses often try to prove their value by outdoing each other in child births. This contributes to Niger having the highest population growth rate on earth.

At current projections, the number of inhabitants will more than triple between now and 2050 to 55m.