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Official data shows that the total number of births in New Zealand in 2023 has decreased, and the fertility rate has fallen to a record low.
The Guardian reported that data released by Statistics New Zealand on Monday (February 19) showed that the number of babies born in New Zealand in the year to December 2023 decreased by 1,932 compared with 2022, the lowest number of registered births in 20 years. At the same time, the number of women between the ages of 15 and 49 increased by 3 per cent, which is also the age range for most mothers.
Declining births and a growing female population mean that New Zealand has 1 child per woman56 children, up from 1. in 202266 The fertility rate is falling again and is still well below the 2 needed to replace the population in the long term1。
Rebekah Hennessey, Population Insights Analyst at Statistics New Zealand, said: "Although the composite fertility rate is also affected by changes in the age of childbearing, the latest fertility decline reflects a continuing trend of shrinking average household size and rising childlessness rates. ”
The median reproductive age of New Zealanders is 313 years old, 31 in 20222 years old. Since 1999, the childbearing age has remained stable at around 30 years, and in the 1970s the median childbearing age was close to 25 years.
"If women start having children later, they may have fewer children, which is one of the reasons for the lower fertility rate, and the age gap between children is also a factor in fertility rates," Hennessey said. ”
The decline in New Zealand's fertility rate also reflects an international, especially in the West. The birth rate has raised concerns about an aging population and labor shortages, but there are also concerns about a declining population, especially among people who are concerned about the environmental impact of overpopulation.
Hennessey said the number of births is driven by a combination of complex social and demographic factors that change over time.
There are many reasons for the decline in the birth rate in 2023, which may include higher cost of living, higher rent** and higher cost of ownership. ”
On the other hand, factors such as women's educational attainment, labour force participation and access to contraception can also reduce the number of births.