Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 1.57 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.57 births per woman
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
138th
of 218 countries
All-time high
4.31 births per woman
in 1961
All-time low
1.57 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in New Zealand, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate, total in New Zealand stood at 1.57 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in New Zealand peaked at 4.31 births per woman in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.57 births per woman, in 2023.
New Zealand ranks 138th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.24 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 4.31 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 4.19 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 4.05 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 1964 | 3.8 births per woman | -6.2% |
| 1965 | 3.54 births per woman | -6.8% |
| 1966 | 3.41 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1967 | 3.35 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 3.34 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 3.28 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 3.17 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 3.18 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 3 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1973 | 2.76 births per woman | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 2.58 births per woman | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 2.37 births per woman | -8.1% |
| 1976 | 2.27 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1977 | 2.21 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 2.07 births per woman | -6.3% |
| 1979 | 2.12 births per woman | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 2.03 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1981 | 2.01 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 1.95 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 1.92 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 1.93 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 1.93 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.96 births per woman | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 2.03 births per woman | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 2.1 births per woman | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 2.12 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 2.18 births per woman | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 2.09 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 2.06 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 2.04 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 1.98 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.98 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.96 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.96 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.89 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 1.97 births per woman | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 1.98 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 1.97 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 1.89 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 1.93 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 1.98 births per woman | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 1.97 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.01 births per woman | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 2.18 births per woman | +8.5% |
| 2008 | 2.19 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 2.13 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 2.17 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 2.09 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 2.1 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.01 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 1.92 births per woman | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 1.99 births per woman | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 1.87 births per woman | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 1.81 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 1.71 births per woman | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 1.72 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.62 births per woman | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 1.65 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 1.67 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 1.57 births per woman | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 1.57 births per woman | +0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1.57 births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 1.57 births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12 births per woman, 74% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.75 births per woman | 3.28 births per woman | 4.31 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.57 births per woman | 2.07 births per woman | 3.18 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 births per woman | 1.92 births per woman | 2.12 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.01 births per woman | 1.89 births per woman | 2.18 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.02 births per woman | 1.89 births per woman | 2.19 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.94 births per woman | 1.71 births per woman | 2.17 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.62 births per woman | 1.57 births per woman | 1.67 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 33 (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 fertility rate, total in New Zealand?
- Fertility rate, total in New Zealand was 1.57 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 4.31 births per woman in 1961.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.57 births per woman in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for fertility rate, total?
- New Zealand ranks 138th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.