What is birth rate in New Zealand?

Birth rate in New Zealand was 11.45 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 New Zealand?

The highest recorded value was 27.03 births per 1,000 people in 1948.

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 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.

Birth rate in New Zealand

Name: Birth rate in New Zealand
Creator: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

New Zealand: Birth rate was 11.45 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

11.45 births per 1,000 people

Change on year

down 0.3%

World rank

143rd

of 236 countries

All-time high

27.03 births per 1,000 people

in 1948

All-time low

11.32 births per 1,000 people

in 2020

Years of data

1948–2023

Birth rate in New Zealand, 1948–2023

Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for birth rate in New Zealand is 11.45 births per 1,000 people, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of 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 27.03 births per 1,000 people in 1948 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 76 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1940s	26.69 births per 1,000 people	26.36 births per 1,000 people	27.03 births per 1,000 people	2
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

See the full ranking of 236 places →

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)

All data for New Zealand →

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 Human Mortality Database (2025); 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 27.03 births per 1,000 people in 1948.
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 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Birth rate
Unit: births per 1,000 people
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 18,723 data points, 1751–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.