Birth rate vs. death rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Birth rate vs. death 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
26.77 births per 1,000 people
in 1961
All-time low
11.32 births per 1,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rate vs. death 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
The most recent figure for birth rate vs. death 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 vs. death 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.
Birth rate vs. death rate in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 25.69 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 25.57 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 25.59 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 25.13 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1954 | 25.59 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 25.81 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1956 | 25.97 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1957 | 25.91 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 26.14 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 26.37 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 26.55 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 26.77 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 25.84 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1963 | 25.29 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 23.85 births per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1965 | 22.7 births per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1966 | 22.38 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1967 | 22.39 births per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 22.65 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 22.44 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 22.02 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 22.47 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 21.59 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1973 | 20.1 births per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 1974 | 19.3 births per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1975 | 18.08 births per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1976 | 17.69 births per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 17.38 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 16.39 births per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1979 | 16.71 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 16.14 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 16.08 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 15.66 births per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 15.62 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 15.84 births per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 15.92 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 16.14 births per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 16.71 births per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 17.35 births per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 17.5 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 17.6 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 16.98 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 16.74 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 16.39 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 15.77 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 15.56 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 15.28 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 15.12 births per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 14.5 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 14.83 births per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 14.66 births per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 14.28 births per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 13.56 births per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2003 | 13.76 births per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 14.04 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 13.84 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 14.08 births per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 15.06 births per 1,000 people | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 15.03 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 14.48 births per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 14.58 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 13.99 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 13.8 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 13.11 births per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 12.54 births per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 12.97 births per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 12.42 births per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 12.17 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 11.71 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 11.79 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 11.32 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 11.52 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 11.49 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 11.45 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 11.45 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)
- New Zealand's 11.45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 146 Guadeloupe 11.24 births per 1,000 people compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0291 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate vs. death rate in New Zealand?
- Birth rate vs. death 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 vs. death 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 vs. death 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 vs. death rate?
- New Zealand ranks 143rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate vs. death 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 vs. death 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
Number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.