Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand
New Zealand: Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month was 32.46 births per million people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
32.46 births per million people
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
9th
of 40 countries
All-time high
54.44 births per million people
in 1990
All-time low
32.46 births per million people
in 2020
Years of data
41
1980–2020
Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand, 1980–2020
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per million people.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 32.46 births per million people for peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand peaked at 54.44 births per million people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 32.46 births per million people, in 2020.
That places New Zealand 9th out of 40 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | births per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 47.48 births per million people | — |
| 1981 | 46.47 births per million people | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 45.63 births per million people | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 47.77 births per million people | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 47.34 births per million people | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 45.92 births per million people | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 47.74 births per million people | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 50.87 births per million people | +6.5% |
| 1988 | 52.74 births per million people | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 52.35 births per million people | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 54.44 births per million people | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 50.91 births per million people | -6.5% |
| 1992 | 48.86 births per million people | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 47.72 births per million people | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 46.84 births per million people | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 46.29 births per million people | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 45.18 births per million people | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 44.81 births per million people | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 42.88 births per million people | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 43.03 births per million people | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 42.6 births per million people | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 41.16 births per million people | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 39.82 births per million people | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 40.24 births per million people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 40.27 births per million people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 40.78 births per million people | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 40.57 births per million people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 42.57 births per million people | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 43.27 births per million people | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 42.01 births per million people | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 41.81 births per million people | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 40 births per million people | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 39.97 births per million people | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 38.18 births per million people | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 36.7 births per million people | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 35.82 births per million people | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 35.57 births per million people | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 34.98 births per million people | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 33.48 births per million people | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 33.24 births per million people | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 32.46 births per million people | -2.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 32.46 births per million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 17.27 births per million people, 1.9× the median. (5 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 32.46 births per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.49 births per million people, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 48.43 births per million people | 45.63 births per million people | 52.74 births per million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.1 births per million people | 42.88 births per million people | 54.44 births per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.33 births per million people | 39.82 births per million people | 43.27 births per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.97 births per million people | 33.24 births per million people | 41.81 births per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.46 births per million people | 32.46 births per million people | 32.46 births per million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 6 Ukraine 35.36 births per million people compare
- 7 Australia 35.07 births per million people compare
- 8 Estonia 32.66 births per million people compare
- 10 Slovakia 31.23 births per million people compare
- 11 Czechia 30.97 births per million people compare
- 12 Ireland 30.85 births per million people compare
More population data for New Zealand
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -14.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand?
- Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month in New Zealand was 32.46 births per million people in 2020, according to Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 54.44 births per million people in 1990.
- What is the lowest peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.46 births per million people in 2020.
- How does New Zealand rank for peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month?
- New Zealand ranks 9th out of 40 countries with data for 2020.
- Is peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Peak birth month each year and the daily birth rate that month. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Highest average daily number of births, per million people, recorded in the given year.