Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia
Australia: Annual birth rate and peak birth month was 12.08 births per 1,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
12.08 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 8.0%
World rank
3rd
of 41 countries
All-time high
25.07 births per 1,000 people
in 1921
All-time low
11.18 births per 1,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
101
1921–2021
Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia, 1921–2021
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia is 12.08 births per 1,000 people, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 8.0% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia peaked at 25.07 births per 1,000 people in 1921 and was at its lowest, 11.18 births per 1,000 people, in 2020.
Australia ranks 3rd of 41 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 101 years of available data.
Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 25.07 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1922 | 24.92 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1923 | 23.99 births per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1924 | 23.43 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1925 | 23.09 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1926 | 22.18 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1927 | 21.83 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1928 | 21.46 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1929 | 20.38 births per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1930 | 19.96 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1931 | 18.24 births per 1,000 people | -8.6% |
| 1932 | 16.92 births per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 1933 | 16.84 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1934 | 16.44 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1935 | 16.6 births per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1936 | 17.18 births per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1937 | 17.49 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1938 | 17.52 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1939 | 17.71 births per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1940 | 18.03 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1941 | 19 births per 1,000 people | +5.4% |
| 1942 | 19.12 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1943 | 20.7 births per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1944 | 21.07 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1945 | 21.83 births per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1946 | 23.73 births per 1,000 people | +8.7% |
| 1947 | 24.23 births per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1948 | 23.27 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1949 | 23.2 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1950 | 23.68 births per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1951 | 23.27 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1952 | 23.63 births per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 23.16 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1954 | 22.71 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1955 | 22.82 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 22.76 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 23.1 births per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 22.82 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 22.79 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 22.64 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 23.08 births per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 22.34 births per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1963 | 21.8 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 20.79 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1965 | 19.83 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 19.49 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 19.59 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 20.22 births per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 20.6 births per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 20.77 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 21.59 births per 1,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 20.08 births per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 18.47 births per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 18 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 16.85 births per 1,000 people | -6.4% |
| 1976 | 16.28 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 16.09 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 15.75 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 15.47 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 15.5 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 16.05 births per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 15.86 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 15.89 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 15.64 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 15.56 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 15.34 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 15.14 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 15.33 births per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 15.28 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 15.52 births per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 15.04 births per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 15.21 births per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 14.9 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 14.8 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 14.53 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 14.24 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 13.95 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 13.7 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 13.71 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 13.53 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 13.15 births per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 13.08 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 12.95 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 12.84 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 13.42 births per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 13.61 births per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 14.09 births per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 13.98 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 13.81 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 13.59 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 13.52 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 13.7 births per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 13.32 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 13.21 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 12.86 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 12.88 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 12.27 births per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 11.97 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 11.73 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 11.18 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 12.08 births per 1,000 people | +8.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 12.08 births per 1,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.97 births per 1,000 people, 2.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
- Australia's 12.08 births per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.31 births per 1,000 people, 1.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 22.93 births per 1,000 people | 20.38 births per 1,000 people | 25.07 births per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 1930s | 17.49 births per 1,000 people | 16.44 births per 1,000 people | 19.96 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 21.42 births per 1,000 people | 18.03 births per 1,000 people | 24.23 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1950s | 23.08 births per 1,000 people | 22.71 births per 1,000 people | 23.68 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.04 births per 1,000 people | 19.49 births per 1,000 people | 23.08 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.94 births per 1,000 people | 15.47 births per 1,000 people | 21.59 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.56 births per 1,000 people | 15.14 births per 1,000 people | 16.05 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.56 births per 1,000 people | 13.7 births per 1,000 people | 15.52 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.45 births per 1,000 people | 12.84 births per 1,000 people | 14.09 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.9 births per 1,000 people | 11.73 births per 1,000 people | 13.7 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.63 births per 1,000 people | 11.18 births per 1,000 people | 12.08 births per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More population data for Australia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5755 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia?
- Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Australia was 12.08 births per 1,000 people in 2021, according to Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual birth rate and peak birth month recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.07 births per 1,000 people in 1921.
- What is the lowest annual birth rate and peak birth month recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.18 births per 1,000 people in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for annual birth rate and peak birth month?
- Australia ranks 3rd out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual birth rate and peak birth month rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual birth rate and peak birth month. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.