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Unmet need for contraception
What this indicator measures
Share of married or partnered women aged 15 to 49 who want to avoid or delay pregnancy but do not use any method of contraception.
How to read this?
A value of 20 means that 20% of these women want contraception but do not use it.
Ranking : ranked from lowest to highest
In brief
Unmet need for contraception: across 150 countries and territories, values range from 1.7 % (France) to 40.2 % (Libya), with a world median of 17.2 %. Data: 1992–2024. The top 10% of countries exceed 30.2 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 7.5 %. By continent, the median is highest in Oceania (24.7 %) and lowest in Europe (9.3 %).
Median by continent
- Oceania 24.7 % (10)
- Africa 22.2 % (50)
- North America 14.6 % (18)
- Asia 12.5 % (37)
- South America 12.3 % (10)
- Europe 9.3 % (23)
Why this indicator matters
This indicator shows the gap between the wish to avoid or delay pregnancy and the actual use of contraception. It helps compare effective access to family planning services.
What makes this indicator vary
The gap depends on health services, the availability and cost of methods, the information received, as well as social norms and the legal framework. These factors change slowly with health policies.
Reading precautions
It only covers married or partnered women in this age group. It comes from household surveys carried out at different dates. The answers reflect what people report, not direct measurements.
Full ranking
ranked from lowest to highest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇫🇷 France | 1.7 % | 2005 |
| 2e | 🇨🇳 China | 2.3 % | 2001 |
| 3e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 3.4 % | 1992 |
| 4e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 4 % | 1996 |
| 5e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 4.3 % | 2008 |
| 6e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 4.9 % | 2012 |
| 7e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 5.7 % | 2010 |
| 8e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 5.8 % | 2012 |
| 9e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 6 % | 2007 |
| 10e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 6.6 % | 2017 |
| 11e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 7 % | 2015 |
| 11e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 7 % | 1993 |
| 11e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 7 % | 2022 |
| 14e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 7.1 % | 2018 |
| 15e | 🇺🇸 United States | 7.2 % | 2019 |
| 16e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 7.5 % | 2016 |
| 17e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 8 % | 2011 |
| 18e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 8.1 % | 2007 |
| 19e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 8.1 % | 2012 |
| 20e | 🇽🇰 Kosovo | 8.4 % | 2020 |
| 21e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 8.6 % | 2021 |
| 22e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 8.8 % | 2019 |
| 23e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 8.8 % | 2019 |
| 24e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 8.9 % | 2023 |
| 25e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 8.9 % | 2022 |
| 26e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 9 % | 2012 |
| 27e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 9.2 % | 1995 |
| 28e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 9.3 % | 2014 |
| 29e | 🇮🇳 India | 9.4 % | 2021 |
| 30e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 9.6 % | 2007 |
| 31e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 9.7 % | 2019 |
| 32e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 10 % | 2022 |
| 33e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 10.1 % | 2021 |
| 34e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 10.3 % | 2019 |
| 35e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 10.4 % | 2015 |
| 36e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 10.6 % | 2017 |
| 37e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 10.8 % | 2023 |
| 37e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 10.8 % | 2018 |
| 39e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 11 % | 2022 |
| 40e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 11.3 % | 2018 |
| 41e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 11.5 % | 2022 |
| 42e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 11.6 % | 2018 |
| 43e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 11.7 % | 2010 |
| 44e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 11.8 % | 1995 |
| 44e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 11.8 % | 1996 |
| 46e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 11.9 % | 2004 |
| 47e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 12.1 % | 2016 |
| 48e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 12.4 % | 2022 |
| 48e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 12.4 % | 2012 |
| 50e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 12.5 % | 2016 |
| 50e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 12.5 % | 2014 |
| 52e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 12.5 % | 2020 |
| 53e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 12.6 % | 2014 |
| 53e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 12.6 % | 2024 |
| 55e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 12.9 % | 2019 |
| 56e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 13.3 % | 2017 |
| 57e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 13.6 % | 2020 |
| 58e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 13.7 % | 2018 |
| 59e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 13.9 % | 2015 |
| 59e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 13.9 % | 2022 |
| 61e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 14.1 % | 2019 |
| 62e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 14.3 % | 2018 |
| 63e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 14.6 % | 2021 |
| 64e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 14.9 % | 2016 |
| 65e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 15.2 % | 2018 |
| 66e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 15.3 % | 2019 |
| 67e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 15.4 % | 2006 |
| 68e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 15.4 % | 2020 |
| 69e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 15.5 % | 2018 |
| 70e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 16.2 % | 2016 |
| 71e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 16.4 % | 2009 |
| 72e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 16.5 % | 2023 |
| 73e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 16.7 % | 2005 |
| 74e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 16.8 % | 1995 |
| 75e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 17 % | 2012 |
| 76e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 17.3 % | 2019 |
| 76e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 17.3 % | 2018 |
| 78e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 17.5 % | 2019 |
| 78e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 17.5 % | 2013 |
| 80e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 17.7 % | 2021 |
| 81e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 17.8 % | 2014 |
| 82e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 17.9 % | 2015 |
| 83e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 18 % | 1995 |
| 84e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 18.9 % | 1998 |
| 85e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 19.1 % | 2023 |
| 86e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 19.7 % | 2018 |
| 87e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 19.7 % | 2018 |
| 88e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 19.9 % | 2012 |
| 89e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 20.4 % | 2022 |
| 90e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 20.8 % | 2022 |
| 91e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 21 % | 2018 |
| 91e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 21 % | 2022 |
| 93e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 21 % | 2022 |
| 94e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 21.1 % | 2019 |
| 95e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 21.1 % | 2023 |
| 96e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 21.2 % | 2020 |
| 97e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 21.2 % | 2021 |
| 98e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 21.4 % | 2023 |
| 99e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 21.8 % | 2022 |
| 100e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 21.8 % | 2019 |
| 101e | 🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos Islands | 22 % | 2020 |
| 102e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 22.1 % | 2018 |
| 103e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 22.2 % | 2016 |
| 104e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 22.4 % | 2022 |
| 105e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 22.6 % | 2018 |
| 106e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 22.7 % | 2017 |
| 107e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 23 % | 2018 |
| 108e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 23.2 % | 2016 |
| 109e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 23.4 % | 2022 |
| 110e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 23.4 % | 2022 |
| 111e | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 23.5 % | 2007 |
| 112e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 23.7 % | 2018 |
| 113e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 23.9 % | 2021 |
| 114e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 23.9 % | 2018 |
| 115e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 24.2 % | 2020 |
| 115e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 24.2 % | 2015 |
| 115e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 24.2 % | 2013 |
| 118e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 24.5 % | 2015 |
| 119e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 24.8 % | 2019 |
| 120e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 25.3 % | 2021 |
| 121e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 25.3 % | 2016 |
| 122e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 25.9 % | 2018 |
| 123e | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 26.2 % | 2020 |
| 124e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 26.6 % | 2014 |
| 125e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 26.6 % | 2023 |
| 126e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 26.7 % | 2022 |
| 127e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 27.1 % | 2019 |
| 128e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 27.4 % | 2010 |
| 129e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 28.4 % | 2018 |
| 130e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 28.7 % | 2013 |
| 131e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 28.7 % | 2018 |
| 132e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 29.7 % | 2017 |
| 132e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 29.7 % | 1998 |
| 134e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 29.9 % | 2022 |
| 135e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 30.2 % | 2019 |
| 136e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 30.5 % | 2020 |
| 137e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 31.1 % | 2021 |
| 138e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 31.4 % | 2017 |
| 139e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 33.4 % | 2021 |
| 139e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 33.4 % | 2020 |
| 141e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 33.8 % | 2011 |
| 142e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 34 % | 2017 |
| 143e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 34.7 % | 2015 |
| 144e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 36.6 % | 2019 |
| 145e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 36.9 % | 2022 |
| 146e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 37.6 % | 2019 |
| 147e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 38 % | 2016 |
| 147e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 38 % | 2017 |
| 149e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 38.9 % | 2020 |
| 150e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 40.2 % | 2014 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Unmet need for contraception"?
The highest value is in Libya, at 40.2 % (2014).
Which country has the lowest value for "Unmet need for contraception"?
The lowest value is in France, at 1.7 % (2005).
What is the world median value of "Unmet need for contraception"?
The world median is 17.2 %, calculated across 150 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Unmet need for contraception" for France?
France scores 1.7 % (2005), ranking 1 out of 150 countries (ranked from lowest to highest).
Where does the "Unmet need for contraception" data come from?
It comes from Banque mondiale (World Development Indicators). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
What does unmet need for contraception mean?
It is the share of partnered women who want to avoid or delay pregnancy but do not use any contraceptive method.
Is a low value always good?
A low value indicates that few women who want contraception go without it. It does not say which methods are used or how good they are.
Source and update
Source : Banque mondiale (World Development Indicators). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Health and reproductive rights
- Births attended by skilled health personnelShare of births attended by a doctor, a midwife or other trained health personnel.
- Abortion: grounds allowed by lawShows in which cases the law allows abortion: never, only to save the woman's life, for reasons of health, rape or fetal impairment, for economic or social reasons, or on request. The classification uses the broadest ground allowed.
- Abortion on request: maximum legal time limitNumber of weeks of pregnancy up to which the law allows abortion at the woman's simple request, without having to give a reason. Only countries that set this limit in weeks are shown.
- Family planning needs met by modern methodsAmong married or partnered women who want to space or limit their births, the share whose need is met by a modern method of contraception.
- Maternal mortalityNumber of women who die during pregnancy or within 42 days after it ends, per 100,000 live births (modeled estimate).
- Adolescent birth rateNumber of births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 in a year.
- Use of modern contraceptivesShare of married women or women in a union, aged 15 to 49, who use a modern method of contraception (pill, IUD, condom, sterilisation, etc.).