More births, and women still live longer

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The number of births again outstripped the number of deaths in New Zealand in the year ended September 30, statistics show.

Statistics New Zealand said there were 34,940 more births than deaths, with 63,730 births and 28,790 deaths.

It said the excess of births over deaths had been relatively stable in the last four years, averaging about 34,800 a year. It was known as natural increase and had risen from a low of 25,900 in the September 2002 year.

All regions of the country had more births than deaths, with Auckland the highest with 15,720, contributing 45 per cent of New Zealand's natural increase.

Auckland was followed by Wellington (3820), Waikato (3540) and Canterbury (3140).

"Although Auckland is home to about one third of the population, it only accounted for about one quarter of the deaths in the September 2010 year," population statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour said.

"This is due to its relatively young age structure. Only 10 per cent of Auckland's population is aged 65 years and over, compared with 13 per cent nationally."

Live births rose to 63,730 from 63,160. The birth rate of 2.1 births per woman was the same as last year, and about half the 1961 peak of 4.3 births per woman.

The 28,790 deaths registered during the year was up slightly on 28,680 in 2009.

Other statistics included:

* Women aged 30 to 34 years had the highest age specific fertility rate with 126 births per 1,000 women;

* the median age of women giving birth was 30;

* the total fertility rate was 2.1 births per woman; and

* the infant mortality rate was 5.2 deaths per 1000 live births.

Women still lived longer than men, with the latest figures showing a newborn girl is expected to live 82.4 years and a boy 78.4 years.

The gap was closing, however, from 6.4 years in 1975-77.

- NZPA