KEY POINTS:
More New Zealand babies were born in the past year than in any year since 1992.
Statistics New Zealand said today 59,120 babies were born, the highest number of live births registered in New Zealand since September 1992 year, when 59,510 babies were born.
The number was more than double the number of deaths recorded for the same year -- 28,180, which was higher than the 27,730 recorded in the September 1992 year, Government Statistician Brian Pink said today.
The 30,930 difference between births and deaths meant that 70 per cent of New Zealand's population growth over the past year was down to natural increase.
Of those who died, 78 per cent were aged over 65.
Mr Pink said the birth rate was up slightly to 2.1 children per New Zealand woman on average, but still near to the long-term average of 2.0 over the past 20 years.
It was higher than the 1.8 child average of Australia, Denmark, England and Wales, Norway and Sweden while the French were also less prolific -- 1.9 children per woman.
The United States also averaged 2.1 children.
The New Zealand infant mortality rate at 4.8 deaths per 1000 live births was down on the 7.1 per 1000 recorded in September 1996.
The median age of women giving birth to their first child was 28.
The median age of all women giving birth was 30, up from 29 in 1996 and 25 in 1976.
- NZPA
