Tunisia’s fertility rate drops to 1.6 children per woman

Tunisia’s fertility rate has reportedly dropped to 1.6 children per woman on average, below the replacement level of 2.1, reports La Presse on January 16th.

These new statistics make Tunisia the African country with the lowest rate, far under neighboring Algeria at 2.7, and Libya at 2.3. The average fertility rate across Africa is around 4.1, with Niger and Somalia dominating fertility levels, with over 6 children per woman.

Fertility in Tunisia has dropped drastically since the 1960s – at the end of the sixties it stood at around 7 children per woman. The reasons for this decline are multiple: Tunisia has undergone a rapid demographic transition similar to that of European countries, with urbanization and better access to education as well as healthcare for women, coupled with a higher average age for marriage. A recent study found that in Tunisia women now get married at 29 on average, and men at 34, much later than previous generations. It also noted that the overall number of marriages has decreased by 10% between 2024 and 2023.

In Tunisia, abortion has also been legal since 1973, limiting the number of unwanted pregnancies. It is available to all women regardless of their marriage status up to three months into pregnancy and is free of charge in state hospitals.

The economic situation is also a major contributor towards decisions to have fewer children. Recent reports show that Tunisia’s economic growth remains slow despite slight improvements in 2025. Living costs have reached record highs, and unemployment remains at around 15.4%, impacting young people the most. Many Tunisians also experience job insecurity, with short-term contracts making it harder to plan a family.

While Kais Saied’s government has been working on reforms to the Labour code to address these deep-rooted issues, recently appointing a new Prime Minister, the sluggish economy leaves little room for manoeuvre.

La Presse, Tuniscope, Maghrebi.org