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