Birth rate in Australia
Australia: Birth rate was 11.51 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
11.51 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
141st
of 236 countries
All-time high
25.07 births per 1,000 people
in 1921
All-time low
11.46 births per 1,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
103
1921–2023
Birth rate in Australia, 1921–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, birth rate in Australia stood at 11.51 births per 1,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in Australia peaked at 25.07 births per 1,000 people in 1921 and was at its lowest, 11.46 births per 1,000 people, in 2020.
That places Australia 141st 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 103 years of available data.
Birth rate 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 | 23.09 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1951 | 22.82 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1952 | 23.29 births per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 22.87 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1954 | 22.34 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1955 | 22.38 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 22.33 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 22.58 births per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 22.34 births per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1959 | 22.23 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 22.13 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1961 | 22.59 births per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 21.82 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1963 | 21.32 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1964 | 20.28 births per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1965 | 19.44 births per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1966 | 19.13 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 19.27 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 19.9 births per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 20.3 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 20.41 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 21.53 births per 1,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1972 | 20.52 births per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1973 | 18.91 births per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1974 | 18.27 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 17.19 births per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 16.22 births per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 15.98 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 15.64 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 15.36 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 15.34 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 15.73 births per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 15.8 births per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 15.76 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 15.25 births per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 15.42 births per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 15.17 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 14.97 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 14.87 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 14.88 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 15.37 births per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 14.94 births per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 15.09 births per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 14.76 births per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 14.51 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 14.16 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 13.87 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 13.6 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 13.33 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 13.18 births per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 13.04 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 12.71 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 12.78 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 12.67 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 12.71 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 13.06 births per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 13.19 births per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 13.86 births per 1,000 people | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 14.04 births per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 13.74 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 13.62 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 13.42 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 13.49 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 13.21 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 12.73 births per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 12.76 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 12.73 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 12.46 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 12.5 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 11.98 births per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 11.46 births per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 11.72 births per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 11.58 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 11.51 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 11.51 births per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.6 births per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 11.51 births per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.94 births per 1,000 people, 72% of the median. (37 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 | 22.63 births per 1,000 people | 22.23 births per 1,000 people | 23.29 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.62 births per 1,000 people | 19.13 births per 1,000 people | 22.59 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 18 births per 1,000 people | 15.36 births per 1,000 people | 21.53 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.32 births per 1,000 people | 14.87 births per 1,000 people | 15.8 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.28 births per 1,000 people | 13.18 births per 1,000 people | 15.37 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.18 births per 1,000 people | 12.67 births per 1,000 people | 14.04 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.89 births per 1,000 people | 11.98 births per 1,000 people | 13.62 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.57 births per 1,000 people | 11.46 births per 1,000 people | 11.72 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 138 Saint Kitts and Nevis 11.74 births per 1,000 people compare
- 139 Grenada 11.71 births per 1,000 people compare
- 140 Jamaica 11.62 births per 1,000 people compare
- 142 Georgia 11.49 births per 1,000 people compare
- 143 New Zealand 11.45 births per 1,000 people compare
- 144 Falkland Islands 11.31 births per 1,000 people compare
More population data for Australia
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 32,193 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in Australia?
- Birth rate in Australia was 11.51 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.07 births per 1,000 people in 1921.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.46 births per 1,000 people in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for birth rate?
- Australia ranks 141st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.9%. 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); 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.
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About this data
Total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.