Fewer Births Across Most Regions
Fewer Births Across Most Regions
19 February 2014
The
number of births dropped in most regions in 2013 with the
Auckland region having the biggest decrease, Statistics New
Zealand said today. There were 21,827 live births in
Auckland in the December 2013 year, a decrease of 1,010 (4
percent) from 2012.
"Nationally, 58,717 live births
were registered in 2013, down 2,461 (4 percent) from 2012,"
population statistics manager Andrea Blackburn
said.
The trend towards older childbearing continues.
In 2013 women aged 35–39 years had more babies (71 births
per 1,000 women) than women aged 20–24 (67 per 1,000) for
the first time.
Deaths also decreased slightly in
2013, down 531 (2 percent), from 30,099 in 2012 to 29,568 in
2013.
Auckland and Canterbury regions had the highest
number of deaths in 2013 with 7,566 and 4,098,
respectively.
New Zealand's natural increase (live
births minus deaths) was 29,149, the lowest natural increase
since 2003
(28,124).
ENDS