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Use of modern contraceptives
What this indicator measures
Share of married women or women in a union, aged 15 to 49, who use a modern method of contraception (pill, IUD, condom, sterilisation, etc.).
How to read this?
A value of 50 means that half of these women use a modern method of contraception.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
The "Use of modern contraceptives" ranking covers 181 countries and territories. Lowest value: Somalia (0.9 %). Highest value: Finland (81.6 %). Median: 45.9 % (data: 1975–2024). The top 10% of countries exceed 69.2 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 15.4 %. By continent, the median is highest in South America (66.8 %) and lowest in Africa (23.9 %).
Median by continent
- South America 66.8 % (12)
- Europe 54.1 % (35)
- North America 52.8 % (24)
- Asia 45.2 % (45)
- Oceania 28.9 % (12)
- Africa 23.9 % (51)
Why this indicator matters
The use of modern contraceptives reflects couples' access to family planning. Comparing it sheds light on women's ability to choose the timing and number of their pregnancies.
What makes this indicator vary
This use depends on the supply of care, the availability and cost of methods, education, cultural and religious norms, and the public health policies pursued over time.
Reading precautions
The figures come from household surveys that are not carried out every year in every country. They cover only married women or women in a union, and do not say whether use is freely chosen.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇫🇮 Finland | 81.6 % | 2015 |
| 2e | 🇨🇳 China | 80.5 % | 2017 |
| 3e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 80.2 % | 2011 |
| 4e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 77.7 % | 2013 |
| 5e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 77.6 % | 2008 |
| 6e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 77.4 % | 2012 |
| 7e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 75.9 % | 2015 |
| 8e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 75.6 % | 1993 |
| 9e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 74.8 % | 2004 |
| 10e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 73.3 % | 1995 |
| 11e | 🇫🇷 France | 72.7 % | 2010 |
| 12e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 72.4 % | 2018 |
| 13e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 71.6 % | 1995 |
| 14e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 71.1 % | 2012 |
| 15e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 70.9 % | 2010 |
| 16e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 70.7 % | 2022 |
| 17e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 70 % | 2018 |
| 18e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 69.8 % | 2016 |
| 19e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 69.2 % | 1989 |
| 20e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 69.1 % | 2023 |
| 21e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 68.8 % | 2017 |
| 22e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 67.6 % | 2021 |
| 23e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 67.6 % | 1996 |
| 24e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 67.3 % | 2017 |
| 25e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 67.2 % | 2020 |
| 26e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 66.5 % | 2019 |
| 27e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 66.4 % | 2016 |
| 28e | 🇺🇸 United States | 66.1 % | 2019 |
| 29e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 65.8 % | 2015 |
| 30e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 65.4 % | 2018 |
| 31e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 65.4 % | 2010 |
| 32e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 65.3 % | 2024 |
| 33e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 64.7 % | 2020 |
| 34e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 64.7 % | 2016 |
| 35e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 64.5 % | 2017 |
| 36e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 63.2 % | 1995 |
| 37e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 63 % | 2013 |
| 38e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 62 % | 2019 |
| 39e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 61.7 % | 1998 |
| 40e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 60.9 % | 2014 |
| 41e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 60.1 % | 1988 |
| 42e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 60.1 % | 2022 |
| 43e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 59.9 % | 1975 |
| 44e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 59.9 % | 2018 |
| 45e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 59.8 % | 2021 |
| 46e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 59.1 % | 2018 |
| 47e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 58.4 % | 2020 |
| 48e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 57.9 % | 2023 |
| 49e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 57 % | 2010 |
| 49e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 57 % | 2022 |
| 51e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 56.9 % | 2014 |
| 51e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 56.9 % | 2022 |
| 53e | 🇮🇳 India | 56.4 % | 2021 |
| 53e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 56.4 % | 2022 |
| 55e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 55.6 % | 1995 |
| 56e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 55.4 % | 2012 |
| 57e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 55.3 % | 2013 |
| 58e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 55 % | 2011 |
| 58e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 55 % | 1997 |
| 60e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 54.7 % | 2022 |
| 61e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 54.6 % | 2018 |
| 62e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 54.1 % | 2009 |
| 63e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 54 % | 2016 |
| 64e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 53.6 % | 2016 |
| 65e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 53.2 % | 2022 |
| 66e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 52.8 % | 2021 |
| 67e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 52.4 % | 2012 |
| 68e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 52.1 % | 2021 |
| 69e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 51.9 % | 1988 |
| 70e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 51.8 % | 2013 |
| 71e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 51.6 % | 2023 |
| 71e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 51.6 % | 1981 |
| 73e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 51.4 % | 2009 |
| 74e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 51.3 % | 2016 |
| 75e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 51 % | 2017 |
| 76e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 50.7 % | 2014 |
| 77e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 50.5 % | 2005 |
| 78e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 50.1 % | 2018 |
| 79e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 48.9 % | 2015 |
| 79e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 48.9 % | 2018 |
| 81e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 48.5 % | 2016 |
| 82e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 48.4 % | 2023 |
| 83e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 47.9 % | 1987 |
| 84e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 47.6 % | 2012 |
| 85e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 47.5 % | 2018 |
| 86e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 47.3 % | 2019 |
| 87e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 46.9 % | 2015 |
| 88e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 46.8 % | 2009 |
| 89e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 46 % | 2019 |
| 90e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 46 % | 1993 |
| 91e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 45.9 % | 2019 |
| 92e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 45.2 % | 2018 |
| 93e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 45.1 % | 2016 |
| 94e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 44.9 % | 2019 |
| 95e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 44.7 % | 2022 |
| 96e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 44.6 % | 1981 |
| 97e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 43.9 % | 2020 |
| 98e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 42.7 % | 2021 |
| 98e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 42.7 % | 2022 |
| 100e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 42.4 % | 2007 |
| 101e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 42.1 % | 2000 |
| 102e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 41.8 % | 2022 |
| 103e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 39.6 % | 2007 |
| 104e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 39.3 % | 1999 |
| 105e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 38.7 % | 2018 |
| 106e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 38.4 % | 2023 |
| 107e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 38 % | 2022 |
| 108e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 37.8 % | 2018 |
| 109e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 37.7 % | 1980 |
| 110e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 37.5 % | 2009 |
| 111e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 37.1 % | 2013 |
| 112e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 36.1 % | 2018 |
| 113e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 34.6 % | 2021 |
| 114e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 34.5 % | 2022 |
| 115e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 34.3 % | 2012 |
| 116e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 33.6 % | 1999 |
| 117e | 🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos Islands | 33.5 % | 2020 |
| 118e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 32.9 % | 2023 |
| 119e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 31.8 % | 2017 |
| 120e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 31.3 % | 2022 |
| 121e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 31.2 % | 2018 |
| 122e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 31.2 % | 2021 |
| 123e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 31.1 % | 2014 |
| 123e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 31.1 % | 2022 |
| 125e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 30.6 % | 1995 |
| 126e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 30.5 % | 2018 |
| 126e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 30.5 % | 2022 |
| 128e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 29.2 % | 2013 |
| 129e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 28.6 % | 2020 |
| 130e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 28 % | 2016 |
| 131e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 27.8 % | 2022 |
| 132e | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 27.4 % | 1985 |
| 133e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 27.3 % | 2019 |
| 134e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 27.1 % | 2017 |
| 135e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 25.6 % | 2023 |
| 136e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 25.4 % | 2023 |
| 137e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 25.2 % | 2019 |
| 138e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 25.2 % | 2022 |
| 139e | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 25.1 % | 2007 |
| 140e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 25 % | 2018 |
| 141e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 24.3 % | 2015 |
| 142e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 24.1 % | 2016 |
| 143e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 23.9 % | 2020 |
| 144e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 23.6 % | 1995 |
| 145e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 22.9 % | 2017 |
| 146e | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 22.4 % | 2020 |
| 147e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 21.4 % | 2017 |
| 148e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 21.3 % | 2019 |
| 149e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 20.9 % | 2019 |
| 150e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 20.2 % | 2019 |
| 151e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 19.8 % | 2015 |
| 152e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 18.8 % | 2014 |
| 153e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 18.3 % | 2015 |
| 154e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 18.2 % | 2021 |
| 155e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 18 % | 2012 |
| 156e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 17.6 % | 2018 |
| 157e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 17.3 % | 2021 |
| 158e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 17.1 % | 2020 |
| 159e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 16.9 % | 2022 |
| 160e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 16.4 % | 2018 |
| 161e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 16.3 % | 2014 |
| 162e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 15.8 % | 2020 |
| 163e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 15.4 % | 2018 |
| 164e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 14.9 % | 2017 |
| 165e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 14.4 % | 2019 |
| 166e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 14 % | 2019 |
| 167e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 13.9 % | 2011 |
| 168e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 13.9 % | 2023 |
| 169e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 12.8 % | 2021 |
| 170e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 12.5 % | 2016 |
| 171e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 12.1 % | 2012 |
| 172e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 12 % | 2014 |
| 173e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 11.6 % | 2018 |
| 174e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 10.6 % | 2018 |
| 175e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 9.6 % | 2011 |
| 176e | 🇽🇰 Kosovo | 9.4 % | 2020 |
| 177e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 8.6 % | 2022 |
| 178e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 7.1 % | 2010 |
| 179e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 6.7 % | 2019 |
| 180e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 3.7 % | 2018 |
| 181e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 0.9 % | 2019 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Use of modern contraceptives"?
The highest value is in Finland, at 81.6 % (2015).
Which country has the lowest value for "Use of modern contraceptives"?
The lowest value is in Somalia, at 0.9 % (2019).
What is the world median value of "Use of modern contraceptives"?
The world median is 45.9 %, calculated across 181 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Use of modern contraceptives" for France?
France scores 72.7 % (2010), ranking 11 out of 181 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Use of modern contraceptives" 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.
Which methods are called “modern”?
Examples are the pill, the IUD, the implant, the condom or sterilisation. So-called traditional methods, such as withdrawal or the calendar method, are not counted.
Does a high value mean better access to care?
Not necessarily. The value shows the share of women who use a modern method. It also depends on preferences, the desired family size and the methods chosen.
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.
- Unmet need for contraceptionShare of married or partnered women aged 15 to 49 who want to avoid or delay pregnancy but do not use any method of contraception.
- 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.