Summary of Reported and Estimated Abortions Worldwide, through December 2018

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 31 December 2018

The table below summarizes reported and reliably estimated abortions worldwide from 1921 through December 2018. It is an update to Part V of the Abortion Worldwide Report (AWR) ed. by Thomas W. Jacobson and Wm. Robert Johnston. The AWR estimation methodology is used here, which limits to empirical estimates rather than estimates based on small samples combined with various assumptions. These figures are known to be incomplete, particularly for many developing countries, although some published estimates of much larger global numbers are unlikely to be accurate (see AWR Working Paper 15). Data updates are reflected in country pages at Abortion statistics and other data. Data are by country or other area of occurrence. Reporting areas used here are de facto statistical reporting areas and should not be assumed to represent recognition of disputed status; see this page for discussion.

countryregionreported abortionsestimates for underreporting and missing years through 2018total abortions through Dec 2018estimated annual abortions, 2018
totalyear rangetotalyear range
AlbaniaEurope501,1441975–201755,8001975–2018556,9441,200
AnguillaNorth America982002-20052602002–201835820
ArgentinaSouth America7132004–20132502004–201896350
Armeniaformer USSR405,3561992–201623,0001992–2018428,35611,500
AustraliaAustralia2,427,3931931–2018538,3691931–20182,965,76252,200
AustriaEurope44,9141989–2017148,2091974–2018193,1231,800
Azerbaijanformer USSR632,3911992–201669,2001992–2018701,59134,600
BahrainAsia39,0381997–201519,3501976–201858,3882,400
BarbadosNorth America9,1841991–201610,3061983–201819,490500
Belarusformer USSR2,396,3771992–201652,7001992–20182,449,07726,000
BelgiumEurope366,4101979–2011246,2001979–2018612,61023,700
BelizeNorth America8,6091985–199666,2001980–201874,8092,600
BermudaNorth America4,2881983–20188001983–20185,088231
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEurope33,3512001–2016184,0001992–2018217,3512,000
BrazilSouth America17,9592000–20171,6002000–201819,5591,600
BulgariaEurope5,931,8431953–201723,3001953–20185,955,14323,300
BurundiAfrica36,6672000–201352,9501981–201889,6173,100
CanadaNorth America4,052,3451970–2016219,2791969–20184,271,62495,000
ChileSouth America6061964–20171001964–2018706100
China PRAsia353,032,9431956–201349,035,0001956–2018402,067,9436,800,000
China, Rep. OfAsia578,5581968–2015595,8701967–20181,174,42834,000
ColombiaSouth America6,9042008–20163,2002008–201810,1041,600
ComorosAfrica1,5452007–20115,9001982–20187,445150
Costa RicaNorth America167,2751995–2014105,4001970–2018272,6756,700
CroatiaEurope205,0541992–20172,3001992–2018207,3542,300
CubaNorth America5,568,0161968–2016448,0001965–20186,016,01685,000
Czech Rep.Europe819,0801993–201718,7001993–2018837,78018,700
CzechoslovakiaEurope3,685,8701953–19922,1601950–19923,688,030N/A
DenmarkEurope977,9761939–201632,3721937–20181,010,34815,000
Dominican RepNorth America426,9791995–2014183,5001995–2018610,47925,600
EcuadorSouth America0N/A29,8002004–201829,8001,200
Estoniaformer USSR294,4571992–20173,7001992–2018298,1573,700
Faeroe IslandsEurope1,2051966–20168101966–20182,01530
FinlandEurope722,0381951–201710,7001950–2018732,7389,200
FranceEurope8,068,6411936–2017212,7111936–20188,281,352203,000
French GuianaSouth America45,3711984–20174,2001984–201849,5712,300
Georgiaformer USSR696,4161992–201653,6001992–2018750,01625,900
GermanyEurope4,459,2281944–2017149,4001927–20184,608,628101,000
Germany, EastEurope1,794,7001948–199025,7001945–19901,820,400N/A
GreeceEurope498,4231970–2012178,2001950–2018676,62317,600
GreenlandNorth America33,7171967–20161,9201967–201835,637860
GuadeloupeNorth America124,5521976–20178,6001976–2018133,1522,900
GuamOceania3,0722000–20173901993–20183,462240
GuernseyEurope1,4461997–20121,0201997–20182,466110
GuyanaSouth America44,4141970–201579,7001970–2018124,114800
Hong KongAsia628,7661973–201728,0001973–2018656,7668,400
HungaryEurope6,039,7251949–201727,2001949–20186,066,92527,200
IcelandEurope35,7221960–20171,1001960–201836,8221,100
IndiaAsia25,082,2511972–20161,561,0001972–201826,643,251794,000
Isle of ManEurope52007552007–2018605
IsraelAsia693,0121979–201651,3001977–2018744,31217,600
ItalyEurope5,861,2211978–2016368,0001975–20186,229,22176,000
JapanAsia39,128,6351949–2016441,0001948–201839,569,635156,000
JerseyEurope5,4671990–20141,5501990–20187,017160
Kazakhstanformer USSR3,767,5331992–201780,0001992–20183,847,53380,000
Korea, Rep. OfAsia0N/A18,610,7331961–201818,610,73370,000
KosovoEurope4,0542005–200628,2001999–201832,254300
Kyrgyzstanformer USSR458,9931992–201539,0001992–2018497,99312,500
Latviaformer USSR420,8451923–1938; 1992–20178,0001923–1939; 1992–2018428,8453,600
Lithuaniaformer USSR392,2311992–20168,2001992–2018400,4314,000
MacedoniaEurope204,2561993–20168,0001993–2018221,2563,900
MartiniqueNorth America79,4281976–201711,9501976–201891,3782,100
MayotteAfrica29,8911992–20171,6001992–201831,4911,600
MexicoNorth America216,5881995–201717,0001995–2018233,58817,000
Moldovaformer USSR682,1931992–201711,5001992–2018693,69311,500
MongoliaAsia513,1551984–201717,5001984–2018530,65517,500
MontenegroEurope11,0682006-20161,6002006-201812,668800
Nagorno-Karabakhformer USSR25,0971996–20161,6001996–201826,697800
NetherlandsEurope1,663,1641970–2016165,0001970–20181,828,16430,000
New CaledoniaOceania20,8061997–20139,1001997–201829,9061,700
New ZealandOceania524,7791964–201716,6001964–2018541,37913,300
NorwayEurope717,6061954–201738,6001954–2018756,20612,300
PanamaNorth America1791972–20003501972–201852910
Panama Canal ZoneNorth America3981970–197801970–1978398N/A
ParaguaySouth America83,9271998–201624,7001998–2018108,6277,200
PolandEurope6,293,9831955–20162,2001955–20186,296,1831,100
PortugalEurope183,2221984–201632,0001984–2018215,22216,000
Puerto RicoNorth America103,3601991–2012318,6001973–2018421,9605,000
QatarAsia1,9081995–20129251983–20182,833100
RιunionAfrica176,5051976–20179,0001976–2018185,5054,400
RomaniaEurope22,877,7391958–2016166,0001957–201823,043,73952,000
Russiaformer USSR47,142,5121992–2017733,0001992–201847,875,512733,000
Saint HelenaAfrica611985-19901401985–20182015
SerbiaEurope1,237,2961992–201657,7001992–20181,294,9969,600
SeychellesAfrica10,4531986–20179901981–201811,443520
SingaporeAsia683,2891966–20176,2001966–2018689,4896,200
SlovakiaEurope433,9001993–201710,0001993–2018443,90010,000
SloveniaEurope176,5551992–20167,4001992–2018183,9553,700
South AfricaAfrica1,276,9251975–2014437,0291975–20181,713,954101,000
SpainEurope2,291,2061987–2017107,0001985–20182,398,20694,000
SwedenEurope1,690,2911939–201773,8201938–20181,764,11136,600
SwitzerlandEurope519,0671966–2017429,5001937–2018948,5679,800
Tajikistanformer USSR572,3551992–201630,0001992–2018602,35515,000
Transnistriaformer USSR41,6212000–201444,4002000–201886,0212,100
Trinidad and TobagoNorth America1471991–200401991–20041470
TunisiaAfrica767,2021965–201563,8001965–2018831,00216,000
TurkeyAsia1,648,0841993–20163,873,5001965–20185,521,58443,000
Turkmenistanformer USSR495,1271992–201620,0001992–2018515,12710,000
Turks and Caicos IslandsNorth America1881996–20055901996–201877830
U.S.S.R.former USSR269,222,4761922–19919,304,2771921–1991278,526,753N/A
Ukraineformer USSR9,587,5191992–201788,0001992–20189,675,51988,000
United KingdomEurope8,997,3181940–2017334,6601930–20189,331,978210,000
United StatesNorth America48,213,2421926–201812,113,0701926–201860,326,312843,000
UruguaySouth America44,6192013–201710,0002013–201854,61910,000
Uzbekistanformer USSR1,665,3451992–2015120,0001992–20181,785,34540,000
VietnamAsia21,491,3531976–20146,059,3061971–201827,550,659275,000
YugoslaviaEurope7,459,3741948–19912,026,5771948–19919,485,951N/A
countryregionreported abortionsestimates for underreporting and missing years through 2018total abortions through Dec 2018estimated annual abortions, 2018
region (number of countries)totalyear rangetotalyear range
Africa (8)2,299,2491965–2017571,4091965–20182,870,658126,775
Asia (13)443,520,9921949–201780,299,6841948–2018523,820,6768,224,200
Australia (1)2,427,3931931–2018538,3691931–20182,965,76252,200
Europe (37)94,626,5661936–20175,212,2441927–201899,838,8101,013,505
former USSR (18)338,898,8441922–201710,690,1771921–2018349,589,0211,102,200
North America (18)59,008,5931926–201813,505,8251926–201872,514,4181,086,551
Oceania (3)548,6571964–201726,0901964–2018574,74715,240
South America (9)244,5131964–2017153,5501964–2018398,06324,850
World (107)941,574,8071922–2018110,997,3481921–20181,052,572,15511,645,521

TOTAL, 1921 - 2018: 941,600,000 reported abortions, estimated 1,052,600,000 total abortions

Estimated current rates: 11,650,000 abortions per year or 970,000 abortions per month.

Residents of several countries or territories are known to obtain more abortions abroad than in their home country; several such countries are listed below with abortion data by residence (i.e., including abortions obtained abroad). Figures below are included in the above table by country of occurrence.

countryregionreported abortions (by area of residence)estimates for underreporting and missing years through 2018total abortions by residents through Dec 2018estimated annual abortions by residents, 2018
totalyear rangetotalyear range
GuernseyEurope2,1151968–20173,7601968–20185,875120
IrelandEurope189,6821968–20173,0001968–2018192,6823,000
Isle of ManEurope4,5421968-20171,8701968–20186,41280
JerseyEurope5,4561968–20177,6401968–201813,096110
MaltaEurope1,7811981–20172501981–20182,03150

© 2000-2015, 2018 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Abortion Worldwide Report © 2018 by Thomas W. Jacobson and Wm. Robert Johnston
Last modified 31 December 2018.
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