3101.0 - Rise in fertility increases Australia's population: ABS, Jun 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 09/12/2005   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 9, 2005
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
131/2005
Rise in fertility increases Australia's population: ABS

Australia's fertility rate hit a ten year high for the year ended 30 June 2005, according to preliminary figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

There were 257,900 births registered in the year ended 30 June 2005. For this period, the preliminary total fertility rate (see media note) was 1.797 babies per woman, the highest rate since 1994-95 (1.841).

graph:Toal Fertility Rate, Australia - year ended 30 June


In the year ended 30 June 2005 Australia's population increased by 237,100 people, representing an annual growth rate of 1.2%. This growth consisted of 127,000 people as a result of natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) and 110,100 people from net overseas migration. Natural increase was 6.8% higher than 2003-04.

In the year ended 30 June 2005, the Northern Territory increased by just under 3,000 people (1.5%). This was the largest increase for the Territory since 1997-98.

Further details about recent trends in Australia's population were released today in Australian Demographic Statistics, June quarter 2005 (cat. no. 3101.0).

Media note: The total fertility rate represents the number of children a woman would bear during her lifetime if she experienced current fertility rates at each age of her reproductive life.