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Births registered with civil authorities
What this indicator measures
Registering a child's birth with the civil registry gives the child a legal existence: a name, a nationality and access to school or health care. This indicator gives the share of children under 5 whose birth has been registered by the authorities.
How to read this?
A percentage close to 100 means almost all births are registered.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
The "Births registered with civil authorities" ranking covers 178 countries and territories. Lowest value: Ethiopia (2.7 %). Highest value: Andorra (100 %). Median: 97.1 % (data: 2006–2022). The top 10% of countries exceed 100 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 47.9 %. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (100 %) and lowest in Africa (67.3 %).
Median by continent
- Europe 100 % (44)
- Asia 98.7 % (42)
- North America 96.9 % (18)
- South America 96.6 % (12)
- Oceania 87.6 % (12)
- Africa 67.3 % (49)
Why this indicator matters
A child registered at birth gains a legal existence, a name and a nationality. Comparing this rate shows how far the civil registry covers the whole population, and therefore access to basic rights.
What makes this indicator vary
The rate depends on the presence of civil registration services, distance to administrations, costs, required procedures and local habits. Crises and population displacement also complicate registration.
Reading precautions
The data come from household surveys and concern children under five. They do not say whether the child received a birth certificate. Collection years vary and some countries are missing.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇦🇩 Andorra | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 100 % | 2018 |
| 1er | 🇦🇺 Australia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇦🇹 Austria | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 100 % | 2019 |
| 1er | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 100 % | 2019 |
| 1er | 🇨🇦 Canada | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇩🇪 Germany | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 100 % | 2019 |
| 1er | 🇪🇸 Spain | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇫🇮 Finland | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇫🇷 France | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇬🇷 Greece | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 100 % | 2017 |
| 1er | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇮🇱 Israel | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇮🇹 Italy | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇯🇵 Japan | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇲🇨 Monaco | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇲🇹 Malta | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇳🇴 Norway | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇴🇲 Oman | 100 % | 2018 |
| 1er | 🇵🇱 Poland | 100 % | 2017 |
| 1er | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 100 % | 2009 |
| 1er | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇷🇴 Romania | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇷🇺 Russia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 100 % | 2020 |
| 1er | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 100 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇺🇸 United States | 100 % | 2022 |
| 49e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 99.9 % | 2020 |
| 49e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 99.9 % | 2010 |
| 49e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 99.9 % | 2020 |
| 49e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 99.9 % | 2019 |
| 49e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 99.9 % | 2019 |
| 49e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 99.9 % | 2018 |
| 49e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 99.9 % | 2006 |
| 56e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 99.8 % | 2019 |
| 56e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 99.8 % | 2019 |
| 56e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 99.8 % | 2019 |
| 56e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 99.8 % | 2012 |
| 56e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 99.8 % | 2013 |
| 61e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 99.7 % | 2020 |
| 61e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 99.7 % | 2015 |
| 63e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 99.6 % | 2013 |
| 63e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 99.6 % | 2019 |
| 63e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 99.6 % | 2012 |
| 63e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 99.6 % | 2018 |
| 67e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 99.5 % | 2006 |
| 68e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 99.4 % | 2011 |
| 68e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 99.4 % | 2014 |
| 68e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 99.4 % | 2013 |
| 71e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 99.3 % | 2016 |
| 72e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 99.2 % | 2018 |
| 72e | 🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos Islands | 99.2 % | 2020 |
| 74e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 98.9 % | 2018 |
| 74e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 98.9 % | 2016 |
| 76e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 98.8 % | 2018 |
| 76e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 98.8 % | 2017 |
| 78e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 98.7 % | 2012 |
| 79e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 98.6 % | 2010 |
| 79e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 98.6 % | 2019 |
| 81e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 98.5 % | 2017 |
| 82e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 98.4 % | 2018 |
| 82e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 98.4 % | 2018 |
| 84e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 98.3 % | 2018 |
| 85e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 98.1 % | 2020 |
| 86e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 98 % | 2017 |
| 86e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 98 % | 2018 |
| 88e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 97.7 % | 2019 |
| 89e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 97.2 % | 2007 |
| 90e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 97 % | 2019 |
| 90e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 97 % | 2020 |
| 92e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 96.9 % | 2018 |
| 93e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 96.8 % | 2015 |
| 94e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 96.7 % | 2019 |
| 95e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 96.5 % | 2011 |
| 96e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 96.4 % | 2015 |
| 96e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 96.4 % | 2015 |
| 96e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 96.4 % | 2020 |
| 99e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 96.1 % | 2014 |
| 100e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 96 % | 2006 |
| 101e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 95.9 % | 2015 |
| 101e | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 95.9 % | 2013 |
| 103e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 95.8 % | 2017 |
| 104e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 95.7 % | 2015 |
| 105e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 93.6 % | 2006 |
| 106e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 92.2 % | 2019 |
| 107e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 92 % | 2012 |
| 108e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 91.9 % | 2016 |
| 109e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 91.8 % | 2017 |
| 110e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 91.7 % | 2006 |
| 111e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 91.6 % | 2019 |
| 112e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 91.4 % | 2010 |
| 113e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 91.2 % | 2018 |
| 114e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 90.4 % | 2019 |
| 115e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 89.6 % | 2012 |
| 116e | 🇮🇳 India | 89.1 % | 2021 |
| 117e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 88.6 % | 2017 |
| 118e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 88 % | 2015 |
| 119e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 87.5 % | 2017 |
| 120e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 87.3 % | 2012 |
| 121e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 87.2 % | 2020 |
| 121e | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 87.2 % | 2020 |
| 123e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 86.7 % | 2018 |
| 124e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 86.6 % | 2021 |
| 125e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 85.6 % | 2018 |
| 125e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 85.6 % | 2020 |
| 127e | 🇮🇲 Isle of Man | 85.4 % | 2009 |
| 128e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 84.8 % | 2017 |
| 129e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 84.7 % | 2012 |
| 130e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 83.8 % | 2017 |
| 131e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 83.5 % | 2017 |
| 132e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 82.9 % | 2017 |
| 133e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 81.3 % | 2016 |
| 133e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 81.3 % | 2017 |
| 135e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 78.7 % | 2019 |
| 136e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 78.1 % | 2016 |
| 137e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 77.2 % | 2019 |
| 138e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 77 % | 2021 |
| 139e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 76.9 % | 2010 |
| 140e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 73.8 % | 2021 |
| 141e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 73.3 % | 2014 |
| 142e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 73 % | 2017 |
| 143e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 71.7 % | 2016 |
| 144e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 71 % | 2018 |
| 145e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 70.6 % | 2018 |
| 146e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 67.3 % | 2014 |
| 147e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 67.2 % | 2016 |
| 148e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 66.9 % | 2014 |
| 148e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 66.9 % | 2020 |
| 150e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 66.3 % | 2020 |
| 151e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 63.9 % | 2012 |
| 152e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 62 % | 2018 |
| 153e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 61.9 % | 2018 |
| 154e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 60.4 % | 2016 |
| 155e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 59 % | 2020 |
| 156e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 56 % | 2019 |
| 157e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 55 % | 2015 |
| 158e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 53.5 % | 2011 |
| 158e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 53.5 % | 2014 |
| 160e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 48.7 % | 2019 |
| 161e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 46 % | 2019 |
| 162e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 44.8 % | 2019 |
| 162e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 44.8 % | 2021 |
| 164e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 44.5 % | 2018 |
| 165e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 43.4 % | 2013 |
| 166e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 42.6 % | 2018 |
| 167e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 42.3 % | 2015 |
| 168e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 42.2 % | 2018 |
| 169e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 40.1 % | 2018 |
| 170e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 32.2 % | 2016 |
| 171e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 30.7 % | 2013 |
| 172e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 26.4 % | 2016 |
| 173e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 25.7 % | 2019 |
| 174e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 25 % | 2016 |
| 175e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 14 % | 2018 |
| 176e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 13.4 % | 2018 |
| 177e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 5.9 % | 2020 |
| 178e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 2.7 % | 2016 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Births registered with civil authorities"?
The highest value is in Andorra, at 100 % (2022).
Which country has the lowest value for "Births registered with civil authorities"?
The lowest value is in Ethiopia, at 2.7 % (2016).
What is the world median value of "Births registered with civil authorities"?
The world median is 97.1 %, calculated across 178 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Births registered with civil authorities" for France?
France scores 100 % (2022), ranking 1 out of 178 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Births registered with civil authorities" data come from?
It comes from Banque mondiale – Complétude de l'enregistrement des naissances (%) (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
Why register a birth?
Registration gives the child legal proof of identity, age and nationality. It is then used for school, health care, benefits and other civil rights.
How should this percentage be read?
It shows the share of young children whose birth has been registered. The closer it is to the maximum, the more complete civil registry coverage is for this age group.
Source and update
Source : Banque mondiale – Complétude de l'enregistrement des naissances (%) (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Population & Vital Statistics
- Adults with an official IDAn official ID (identity card, passport, voter card, etc.) makes it possible to prove who you are in order to vote, open a bank account or access public services. This indicator gives the share of people aged 15 and over who say they have one, according to the Global Findex survey (ID4D programme).
- PopulationThe number of people living in the country, of all ages.
- Share of women in the populationShare of women in the country's total population, as a percentage.
- Share of men in the populationShare of men in the country's total population, as a percentage. Calculated value: 100 minus the share of women from the same World Bank series (United Nations).
- Number of men per 100 womenRatio between the number of men and the number of women in the population. Calculated value: (100 − share of women) ÷ share of women × 100, from the World Bank series (United Nations).
- Boys per 100 girls at birthNumber of boys born per 100 girls born in the same year. Worldwide, slightly more boys than girls are born. Source value (boys per girl) multiplied by 100.
- Share of 0-14 year oldsShare of children aged 0 to 14 in the total population, as a percentage.
- Share of 15-64 year oldsShare of people aged 15 to 64 (usual working ages) in the total population, as a percentage.
- Share of people aged 65 and overShare of people aged 65 and over in the total population, as a percentage.
- Median age of the populationAge that divides the population into two equal halves: half of the inhabitants are younger, the other half older (United Nations estimate).
- Age dependency ratioNumber of people under 15 or over 64 per 100 people aged 15 to 64. It gives an idea of the weight of non-working ages relative to the usual working ages.
- Urban populationShare of the population living in cities, as a percentage. The definition of an urban area is set by each country, so it varies from one country to another.