3311.8 - Demography, Australian Capital Territory, 2001  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/12/2002   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 18, 2002
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
185/2002

ACT has the lowest fertility and the highest life expectancy in Australia

Females living in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) had fewer babies per woman in 2001, but babies born in the nation's capital can expect to live longer according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The ACT's total fertility rate in 2001 reached the lowest level on record for all states and territories at 1.51 children per woman, compared to the national rate of 1.73 and the replacement level of 2.1.

Life expectancy at birth for girls and boys born in the ACT during 1999-2001 was 82.9 and 78.5 years respectively, compared with 82.4 and 77.0 years nationally.

In 2001, other key points about ACT's demographic make-up include:
  • The lowest death rate of all states and territories at 5.1 deaths per 1,000 population.
  • The leading causes of death were cancer (32% for males and 30% for females) and ischaemic heart disease (18% for both males and females).
  • Annual population growth rate was 1.0%, lower than the national rate of 1.3%.
  • Population of Gungahlin-Hall recorded an increase of 2,600 people (11.8%) in the year to June 2001.
  • For the eighth consecutive year, the ACT recorded a population loss (-80 people) through interstate migration. This was the smallest loss recorded since 1994.
  • There were 1,600 marriages. Just over two-thirds were first marriages, 18% involved one party remarrying and 15% involved both parties remarrying.
  • There were 1,700 divorces granted with 41% of all applications made by wives and 29% were joint applications.

Further details are available in Demography, Australian Capital Territory (cat. no. 3311.8).