Births and deaths in Australia
Australia: Births and deaths was 6.66 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
6.66
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
40th
of 41 countries
All-time high
9.76
in 1942
All-time low
6.34
in 2020
Years of data
101
1921–2021
Births and deaths in Australia, 1921–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for births and deaths in Australia is 6.66, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, births and deaths in Australia peaked at 9.76 in 1942 and was at its lowest, 6.34, in 2020.
Australia ranks 40th of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 101 years of available data.
Births and deaths in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 8.3 | — |
| 1922 | 7.98 | -3.8% |
| 1923 | 8.52 | +6.7% |
| 1924 | 8.21 | -3.7% |
| 1925 | 8.05 | -2.0% |
| 1926 | 8.29 | +3.0% |
| 1927 | 8.33 | +0.5% |
| 1928 | 8.37 | +0.5% |
| 1929 | 8.54 | +2.0% |
| 1930 | 7.66 | -10.3% |
| 1931 | 7.93 | +3.6% |
| 1932 | 7.96 | +0.3% |
| 1933 | 8.28 | +4.1% |
| 1934 | 8.63 | +4.2% |
| 1935 | 8.82 | +2.2% |
| 1936 | 8.75 | -0.8% |
| 1937 | 8.8 | +0.5% |
| 1938 | 9 | +2.2% |
| 1939 | 9.29 | +3.2% |
| 1940 | 9.06 | -2.4% |
| 1941 | 9.3 | +2.6% |
| 1942 | 9.76 | +5.0% |
| 1943 | 9.58 | -1.9% |
| 1944 | 8.9 | -7.0% |
| 1945 | 8.91 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 9.36 | +5.1% |
| 1947 | 9.07 | -3.1% |
| 1948 | 9.4 | +3.6% |
| 1949 | 9.04 | -3.8% |
| 1950 | 9.13 | +1.0% |
| 1951 | 9.26 | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 9 | -2.8% |
| 1953 | 8.64 | -3.9% |
| 1954 | 8.67 | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 8.51 | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 8.74 | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 8.41 | -3.8% |
| 1958 | 8.12 | -3.5% |
| 1959 | 8.47 | +4.3% |
| 1960 | 8.24 | -2.7% |
| 1961 | 8.1 | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 8.32 | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 8.35 | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 8.75 | +4.7% |
| 1965 | 8.56 | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 8.74 | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 8.44 | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 8.81 | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 8.41 | -4.5% |
| 1970 | 8.78 | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 8.23 | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 8.06 | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 7.96 | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 8.21 | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 7.65 | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 7.85 | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 7.48 | -4.8% |
| 1978 | 7.42 | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 7.22 | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 7.25 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 7.23 | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 7.42 | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 7.05 | -4.9% |
| 1984 | 7.17 | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 7.36 | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 7.06 | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 7.19 | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 7.14 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 7.39 | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 6.91 | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 6.8 | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 6.97 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 6.8 | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 7.08 | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 6.92 | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 7.01 | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 6.96 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 6.82 | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 6.78 | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 6.75 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 6.67 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 6.81 | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 6.68 | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 6.62 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 6.5 | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 6.56 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 6.71 | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 6.72 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 6.53 | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 6.48 | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 6.56 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 6.57 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 6.42 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 6.57 | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 6.61 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 6.57 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 6.7 | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 6.4 | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 6.51 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 6.34 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 6.66 | +5.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 6.66 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.87, 97% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
- Australia's 6.66 is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.62, 69% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 8.29 | 7.98 | 8.54 | 9 |
| 1930s | 8.51 | 7.66 | 9.29 | 10 |
| 1940s | 9.24 | 8.9 | 9.76 | 10 |
| 1950s | 8.7 | 8.12 | 9.26 | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.47 | 8.1 | 8.81 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.89 | 7.22 | 8.78 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.22 | 7.05 | 7.42 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.9 | 6.78 | 7.08 | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.65 | 6.5 | 6.81 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.54 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.5 | 6.34 | 6.66 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 37 Iceland 6.83 compare
- 38 New Zealand 6.79 compare
- 39 Luxembourg 6.66 compare
- 41 Israel 5.16 compare
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % 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 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is births and deaths in Australia?
- Births and deaths in Australia was 6.66 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest births and deaths recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 9.76 in 1942.
- What is the lowest births and deaths recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.34 in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for births and deaths?
- Australia ranks 40th out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is births and deaths rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Births and deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 101 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).