Birth rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Birth rate was 11.45 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Birth rate in New Zealand, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 11.45 births per 1,000 people for birth rate in 2023.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in New Zealand peaked at 26.77 births per 1,000 people in 1961 and was at its lowest, 11.32 births per 1,000 people, in 2020.
That places New Zealand 143rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 25.78 births per 1,000 people | 25.13 births per 1,000 people | 26.37 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 24.09 births per 1,000 people | 22.38 births per 1,000 people | 26.77 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.17 births per 1,000 people | 16.39 births per 1,000 people | 22.47 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.3 births per 1,000 people | 15.62 births per 1,000 people | 17.5 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.88 births per 1,000 people | 14.5 births per 1,000 people | 17.6 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.28 births per 1,000 people | 13.56 births per 1,000 people | 15.06 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.91 births per 1,000 people | 11.71 births per 1,000 people | 14.58 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.45 births per 1,000 people | 11.32 births per 1,000 people | 11.52 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 140 Jamaica 11.62 births per 1,000 people compare
- 141 Australia 11.51 births per 1,000 people compare
- 142 Georgia 11.49 births per 1,000 people compare
- 144 Falkland Islands 11.31 births per 1,000 people compare
- 145 Saint Lucia 11.26 births per 1,000 people compare
More population data for New Zealand
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 2,063 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 1.67 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 1.65 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in New Zealand?
- Birth rate in New Zealand was 11.45 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 26.77 births per 1,000 people in 1961.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.32 births per 1,000 people in 2020.
- How does New Zealand rank for birth rate?
- New Zealand ranks 143rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.