Tracking the rates of abortion around the world is difficult because many nations do not record or report abortion rates. This is especially true in nations where abortion is illegal and no types of records are kept.
In these nations where abortion is illegal, you would think that abortion rates would be very low, but in fact, the very opposite may be true. Studies show that abortion rates may actually be much higher in nations where abortion is illegal. There are also higher risks and complications, including death of the mother, as a result of these illegal abortions.
However, abortion is legal in 58 of 193 member states of the United Nations. Just seven of the UN’s member states – Malta, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua, and South Sudan – have made abortion illegal.
One of the most accurate ways to find abortion rates is through the World Abortion Policies reports created by the United Nations. These reports measure the number of abortions performed on women between the ages of 15 to 44. This rate measures the number of abortions per every 1,000 women in the country.
One of the nation’s with the highest rates of abortion is Russia. According to UN reports, Russia’s abortion rate is 37.4. In other words, for every 1,000 women between 15 to 44, 37.4 had an abortion.
Another nation with a high abortion rate is Cuba. According to data from the United Nations, Cuba had an abortion rate of 28.9.
Kazakhstan also has a high rate of abortion based on the UN’s reports. The abortion rate of this nation is 27.4. Georgia also has a high rate at 26.5.
Romania’s abortion rate is 21.3. Sweden is the last country with an abortion rate exceeding 20 based on UN data. This nation has an abortion rate of 20.8 based on the World Abortion Policies reports.
The abortion rates of other nations include:
- United States: 19.6
- Hungary: 19.4
- China: 19.2
- New Zealand: 18.2
- France: 17.4
- Norway: 16.2
- Denmark: 15.2
- Australia: 14.2
- United Kingdom: 14.2
- Canada: 13.7
- Israel: 12.5
- Spain: 11.7
- Italy: 10.0
- Netherlands: 9.7
- Belgium: 9.2
- Japan: 9.2
- Portugal: 9.0
- Greece: 7.2
- Switzerland: 7.1
- Costa Rica: 6.9
- Germany: 6.1