INTERNATIONAL FERTILITY RATES
According to the United Nations, the projected world average TFR for 2005-2010 is 2.6 babies per woman, declining from the relatively constant 5 births per woman that existed until the 1960s. However, TFRs for individual countries vary considerably. There are many factors that can influence a country's fertility rate, such as differences in social and economic development and contraceptive prevalence. In general, developing countries have higher fertility rates while developed countries have lower rates.
Australia's TFR for 2008 of 1.97 babies per woman is well below the world average (2.6), although it is above the average TFR for developed countries (1.6). According to United Nations projections, a number of European and developed Asian countries will have low fertility rates in 2005-2010. Hong Kong's projected TFR of 1.0 is one of the lowest in the world, while Japan and Singapore are both projected to have a TFR of 1.3. In Europe, low TFRs are projected for Germany (1.3) and Spain, Italy and Greece (each 1.4). Middle Eastern and African countries have the highest fertility rates, with Niger (7.2), Afghanistan (6.6) and Uganda (6.4) some of the highest. East Timor also has a high total fertility rate, of 6.5 babies per woman.
Projected fertility rates for the United States of America and New Zealand (2.1 and 2.0 respectively) are higher than Australia while the rate for Canada is lower (1.6).
2.18 International Total Fertility Rates - 1965-1970 to 2005-2010 |
|  |
| 1965-1970 | 1970-1975 | 1975-1980 | 1980-1985 | 1985-1990 | 1990-1995 | 1995-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 | |
| |
| Afghanistan | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 6.6 | |
| Australia | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | |
| Canada | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.6 | |
| China | 5.9 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | |
| East Timor | 6.2 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | |
| France | 2.6 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | |
| Germany | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | |
| Greece | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| Hong Kong | 4.0 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
| India | 5.6 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.8 | |
| Indonesia | 5.6 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.2 | |
| Italy | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| Japan | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | |
| Korea, Republic of | 4.7 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | |
| Malaysia | 5.9 | 5.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.6 | |
| New Zealand | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| Niger | 7.5 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.2 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 6.2 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.1 | |
| Singapore | 3.5 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | |
| Somalia | 7.3 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | |
| Spain | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | |
| Sweden | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | |
| Uganda | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 6.4 | |
| United Kingdom | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | |
| United States of America | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | |
| Viet Nam | 7.3 | 6.7 | 5.9 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.1 | |
| Yemen | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 5.9 | 5.3 | |
| World | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.6 | |
| |
| Source: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision, Medium variant <http://esa.un.org/unpp>. |
2.19 SUMMARY, Australia - Selected years |
| |
| | 1988 | 1993 | 1998 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
FERTILITY RATES | |
| |
| Age-specific fertility rates(a) | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(b) | 20.3 | 20.9 | 18.9 | 16.1 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 16.0 | 17.3 | |
| 20-24 years | 81.5 | 71.3 | 61.4 | 54.2 | 52.7 | 51.8 | 51.4 | 55.5 | 57.1 | |
| 25-29 years | 136.9 | 129.8 | 111.4 | 102.5 | 101.8 | 102.0 | 101.0 | 105.6 | 105.8 | |
| 30-34 years | 93.3 | 105.4 | 107.0 | 112.3 | 114.0 | 117.0 | 120.4 | 125.9 | 127.8 | |
| 35-39 years | 30.5 | 38.9 | 45.5 | 54.2 | 57.2 | 60.3 | 63.4 | 67.8 | 70.9 | |
| 40-44 years | 4.6 | 6.3 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 10.8 | 11.3 | 12.6 | 14.1 | |
| 45-49 years(c) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | |
| Total fertility rate(d) | 1.831 | 1.859 | 1.762 | 1.748 | 1.763 | 1.791 | 1.817 | 1.920 | 1.969 | |
| Crude birth rate(e) | 14.9 | 14.7 | 13.3 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 13.8 | |
| Net reproduction rate(f) | 0.877 | 0.893 | 0.848 | 0.839 | 0.848 | 0.858 | 0.870 | 0.878 | nya | |
BIRTHS | |
| |
| Total births | 246 193 | 260 229 | 249 616 | 251 161 | 254 246 | 259 791 | 265 949 | 285 213 | 296 621 | |
| Males | 126 223 | 133 572 | 128 016 | 129 193 | 130 600 | 133 428 | 136 692 | 146 456 | 152 287 | |
| Females | 119 970 | 126 657 | 121 600 | 121 968 | 123 646 | 126 363 | 129 257 | 138 757 | 144 334 | |
| Sex ratio | 105.2 | 105.5 | 105.3 | 105.9 | 105.6 | 105.6 | 105.8 | 105.5 | 105.5 | |
| Indigenous births registered(g) | 1 999 | 5 523 | 10 445 | 11 740 | 12 006 | 12 078 | 12 496 | 14 192 | 15 011 | |
| Age of mother | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(b) | 13 961 | 13 175 | 11 849 | 10 811 | 10 857 | 10 744 | 10 552 | 11 204 | 12 326 | |
| 20-24 years | 53 171 | 50 681 | 40 052 | 36 302 | 36 146 | 36 482 | 37 151 | 40 907 | 42 678 | |
| 25-29 years | 95 241 | 88 279 | 81 677 | 69 604 | 68 846 | 69 420 | 70 224 | 75 998 | 79 012 | |
| 30-34 years | 61 651 | 77 004 | 75 876 | 86 077 | 87 395 | 89 158 | 89 883 | 93 072 | 94 124 | |
| 35-39 years | 19 357 | 26 728 | 34 223 | 39 876 | 42 139 | 44 873 | 48 505 | 53 561 | 56 976 | |
| 40-44 years | 2 634 | 4 092 | 5 632 | 7 706 | 8 183 | 8 376 | 8 679 | 9 642 | 10 771 | |
| 45-49 years(c) | 96 | 140 | 215 | 330 | 379 | 358 | 438 | 506 | 512 | |
| Age of father | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(h) | 2 938 | 3 500 | 3 566 | 3 405 | 3 425 | 3 558 | 3 469 | 3 910 | 4 391 | |
| 20-24 years | 26 926 | 27 420 | 22 499 | 20 271 | 20 652 | 21 110 | 21 345 | 23 537 | 24 550 | |
| 25-29 years | 76 442 | 67 659 | 61 579 | 52 195 | 51 538 | 51 616 | 52 456 | 56 589 | 59 254 | |
| 30-34 years | 74 819 | 84 083 | 77 580 | 82 525 | 83 064 | 85 212 | 85 548 | 89 233 | 89 871 | |
| 35-39 years | 36 231 | 44 045 | 50 102 | 52 765 | 54 780 | 56 814 | 60 659 | 66 157 | 69 784 | |
| 40-44 years | 11 894 | 15 113 | 17 441 | 21 746 | 22 613 | 23 168 | 23 802 | 25 556 | 27 202 | |
| 45-49 years | 3 252 | 4 557 | 5 266 | 6 004 | 6 482 | 6 718 | 7 010 | 8 109 | 8 566 | |
| 50 years and over | 1 595 | 1 881 | 2 292 | 2 648 | 2 769 | 3 050 | 3 135 | 3 340 | 3 507 | |
| Nuptial births | 199 425 | 195 355 | 178 046 | 171 853 | 172 481 | 176 078 | 179 019 | 189 896 | 194 704 | |
| Exnuptial births | 46 768 | 64 874 | 71 570 | 79 308 | 81 765 | 83 713 | 86 930 | 95 317 | 101 917 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 34 773 | 53 016 | 62 345 | 69 952 | 72 915 | 75 353 | 78 550 | 86 640 | 92 512 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 11 995 | 11 858 | 9 225 | 9 356 | 8 850 | 8 360 | 8 380 | 8 677 | 9 405 | |
CONFINEMENTS | |
| |
| All confinements | 243 193 | 256 703 | 245 898 | 247 089 | 250 045 | 255 481 | 261 550 | 280 781 | 291 974 | |
| Nuptial | 196 900 | 192 518 | 175 162 | 168 777 | 169 312 | 172 894 | 175 827 | 186 694 | 191 385 | |
| Exnuptial | 46 293 | 64 185 | 70 736 | 78 312 | 80 733 | 82 587 | 85 723 | 94 087 | 100 589 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 34 419 | 52 448 | 61 616 | 69 055 | 72 002 | 74 340 | 77 471 | 85 517 | 91 323 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 11 874 | 11 737 | 9 120 | 9 257 | 8 731 | 8 247 | 8 252 | 8 570 | 9 266 | |
| Median age of mother (years)(i) | | | | | | | | | | |
| All confinements | 27.9 | 28.9 | 29.5 | 30.5 | 30.6 | 30.7 | 30.8 | 30.7 | 30.7 | |
| Nuptial | 28.6 | 29.7 | 30.5 | 31.4 | 31.6 | 31.7 | 31.8 | 31.8 | 31.9 | |
| Exnuptial | 23.7 | 24.5 | 25.7 | 26.7 | 26.9 | 27.0 | 27.2 | 27.1 | 27.0 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 24.2 | 24.8 | 25.9 | 26.9 | 27.1 | 27.2 | 27.4 | 27.2 | 27.1 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 22.2 | 23.2 | 23.9 | 24.8 | 25.0 | 25.1 | 25.3 | 25.4 | 25.5 | |
| Median age of father (years)(i) | | | | | | | | | | |
| All fathers where age is known | 30.6 | 31.4 | 32.0 | 32.6 | 32.8 | 32.9 | 33.1 | 33.1 | 33.1 | |
| Nuptial | 31.0 | 32.0 | 32.9 | 33.5 | 33.6 | 33.7 | 33.9 | 34.0 | 34.1 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 27.0 | 27.5 | 28.4 | 29.6 | 29.7 | 29.8 | 30.0 | 29.9 | 29.8 | |
| Median duration of marriage (years) | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.1 | |
| |
| nya not yet available |
| (a) Births per 1,000 women. |
| (b) Includes births to mothers aged less than 15 years. |
| (c) Includes births to mothers aged 50 years and over. |
| (d) Births per woman. |
| (e) Births per 1,000 estimated resident pooulation. |
| (f) Daughters surviving to reproductive age per woman. |
| (g) Due to changes in identification of Indigenous births, care should be taken when interpreting changes in the number of Indigenous births over time. |
| (h) Includes births to fathers aged less than 15 years. |
| (i) Prior to 2007, median age of parents may be overstated. For more information, see paragraph 44 of the Explanatory Notes. |
2.20 Summary, States and territories - 2008 |
| |
| | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas.(a) | NT | ACT | Aust.(b) | |
FERTILITY RATES | |
| |
| Age-specific fertility rates(c) | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(d) | 14.0 | 10.7 | 24.7 | 18.3 | 22.8 | 27.6 | 52.2 | 8.0 | 17.3 | |
| 20-24 years | 52.8 | 42.2 | 73.8 | 57.9 | 66.9 | 88.1 | 105.3 | 35.3 | 57.1 | |
| 25-29 years | 102.3 | 93.1 | 119.8 | 110.6 | 117.2 | 133.0 | 111.1 | 84.3 | 105.8 | |
| 30-34 years | 126.5 | 131.5 | 124.7 | 127.1 | 132.0 | 127.8 | 105.4 | 130.6 | 127.8 | |
| 35-39 years | 72.6 | 77.9 | 63.7 | 62.3 | 71.1 | 58.1 | 57.7 | 77.5 | 70.9 | |
| 40-44 years | 14.9 | 15.9 | 12.3 | 12.2 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 15.5 | 14.1 | |
| 45-49 years(e) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | |
| Total fertility rate(f) | 1.917 | 1.861 | 2.100 | 1.952 | 2.120 | 2.241 | 2.224 | 1.760 | 1.969 | |
| Crude birth rate(g) | 13.6 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 14.7 | 13.6 | 17.9 | 13.9 | 13.8 | |
| Net reproduction rate(h) | nya | nya | nya | nya | nya | nya | nya | nya | nya | |
BIRTHS | |
| |
| Total births | 94 684 | 71 175 | 63 132 | 20 229 | 31 850 | 6 775 | 3 942 | 4 804 | 296 621 | |
| Males | 48 321 | 36 781 | 32 589 | 10 333 | 16 317 | 3 453 | 2 007 | 2 469 | 152 287 | |
| Females | 46 363 | 34 394 | 30 543 | 9 896 | 15 533 | 3 322 | 1 935 | 2 335 | 144 334 | |
| Sex ratio | 104.2 | 106.9 | 106.7 | 104.4 | 105.0 | 103.9 | 103.7 | 105.7 | 105.5 | |
| Indigenous births registered(i) | 4 003 | 1 096 | 4 402 | 976 | 2 473 | 364 | 1 560 | 134 | 15 011 | |
| Age of mother | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(d) | 3 226 | 1 864 | 3 636 | 953 | 1 686 | 449 | 412 | 95 | 12 326 | |
| 20-24 years | 12 619 | 7 963 | 11 160 | 3 154 | 5 069 | 1 309 | 893 | 507 | 42 678 | |
| 25-29 years | 25 234 | 17 644 | 17 762 | 5 576 | 8 612 | 1 852 | 1 076 | 1 247 | 79 012 | |
| 30-34 years | 30 908 | 24 542 | 18 264 | 6 292 | 9 646 | 1 814 | 945 | 1 708 | 94 124 | |
| 35-39 years | 18 903 | 15 946 | 10 316 | 3 509 | 5 748 | 986 | 514 | 1 048 | 56 976 | |
| 40-44 years | 3 635 | 3 051 | 1 876 | 691 | 1 027 | 200 | np | np | 10 771 | |
| 45-49 years(e) | 158 | 154 | 96 | 46 | 42 | 7 | np | np | 512 | |
| Age of father | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15-19 years(j) | 1 137 | 637 | 1 352 | 325 | 598 | 170 | 138 | 33 | 4 391 | |
| 20-24 years | 6 656 | 4 336 | 7 144 | 1 819 | 3 017 | 821 | 502 | 251 | 24 550 | |
| 25-29 years | 18 465 | 12 790 | 14 038 | 4 353 | 6 431 | 1 475 | 807 | 891 | 59 254 | |
| 30-34 years | 29 461 | 22 891 | 17 972 | 5 956 | 9 272 | 1 861 | 865 | 1 585 | 89 871 | |
| 35-39 years | 22 990 | 18 783 | 13 020 | 4 473 | 7 326 | 1 286 | 643 | 1 256 | 69 784 | |
| 40-44 years | 9 189 | 7 372 | 4 873 | 1 825 | 2 744 | 482 | 246 | 469 | 27 202 | |
| 45-49 years | 2 978 | 2 170 | 1 524 | 549 | 874 | 206 | 107 | 156 | 8 566 | |
| 50 years and over | 1 198 | 846 | 667 | 260 | 362 | 74 | 43 | 57 | 3 507 | |
| Nuptial births | 66 478 | 51 131 | 36 423 | 12 584 | 19 713 | 3 400 | 1 476 | 3 474 | 194 704 | |
| Exnuptial births | 28 206 | 20 044 | 26 709 | 7 645 | 12 137 | 3 375 | 2 466 | 1 330 | 101 917 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 25 599 | 18 701 | 24 179 | 6 980 | 10 952 | 2 992 | 1 882 | 1 224 | 92 512 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 2 607 | 1 343 | 2 530 | 665 | 1 185 | 383 | 584 | 106 | 9 405 | |
CONFINEMENTS | |
| |
| All confinements | 93 238 | 69 976 | 62 072 | 19 937 | 31 418 | 6 683 | 3 903 | 4 718 | 291 974 | |
| Nuptial | 65 418 | 50 187 | 35 727 | 12 390 | 19 424 | 3 349 | 1 461 | 3 405 | 191 385 | |
| Exnuptial | 27 820 | 19 789 | 26 345 | 7 547 | 11 994 | 3 334 | 2 442 | 1 313 | 100 589 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 25 257 | 18 467 | 23 855 | 6 888 | 10 829 | 2 952 | 1 865 | 1 207 | 91 323 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 2 563 | 1 322 | 2 490 | 659 | 1 165 | 382 | 577 | 106 | 9 266 | |
| Median age of mother (years) | | | | | | | | | | |
| All confinements | 31.0 | 31.6 | 29.7 | 30.3 | 30.3 | 29.2 | 28.1 | 31.6 | 30.7 | |
| Nuptial | 31.8 | 32.3 | 31.5 | 31.6 | 31.8 | 31.6 | 31.1 | 32.2 | 31.9 | |
| Exnuptial | 27.4 | 28.6 | 26.1 | 26.6 | 26.3 | 25.7 | 25.4 | 28.9 | 27.0 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 27.5 | 28.7 | 26.2 | 26.8 | 26.6 | 25.8 | 25.9 | 29.2 | 27.1 | |
| Exnuptial paternity not acknowledged | 26.6 | 28.3 | 24.9 | 25.1 | 24.1 | 24.5 | 23.8 | 24.6 | 25.5 | |
| Median age of father (years) | | | | | | | | | | |
| All fathers where the age is known | 33.4 | 33.8 | 32.1 | 32.7 | 32.8 | 31.9 | 31.4 | 33.8 | 33.1 | |
| Nuptial | 34.2 | 34.4 | 33.6 | 33.8 | 34.1 | 33.8 | 33.8 | 34.2 | 34.1 | |
| Exnuptial paternity acknowledged | 30.2 | 31.1 | 28.8 | 29.5 | 29.3 | 28.8 | 28.7 | 31.4 | 29.8 | |
| Median duration of marriage (years) | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.1 | |
| Previous children of the mother(k) | | | | | | | | | | |
| 0 | 39 319 | 32 725 | 30 965 | 8 512 | 13 658 | 1 187 | 1 561 | 2 458 | na | |
| 1 | 30 593 | 23 904 | 19 065 | 6 703 | 10 177 | 2 056 | 1 105 | 1 929 | na | |
| 2 | 13 930 | 9 702 | 7 747 | 2 982 | 4 636 | 1 040 | 638 | 756 | na | |
| 3 | 5 047 | 3 002 | 2 525 | 1 070 | 1 644 | 415 | 300 | 245 | na | |
| 4 | 1 882 | 934 | 823 | 404 | 626 | 181 | 128 | 77 | na | |
| 5 or more | 1 047 | 685 | 606 | 311 | 537 | 113 | 107 | 65 | na | |
| Average number of previous children of the mother(k) | 1.95 | 1.85 | 1.79 | 1.97 | 1.96 | 2.35 | 2.14 | 1.88 | na | |
| |
| na not available |
| np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated |
| nya not yet available |
| (a) For Tasmania, some characteristics of births are not collected for the birth notification. For further information see paragraphs 36 to 38 of the Explanatory Notes. |
| (b) Includes Other Territories. |
| (c) Births per 1,000 women. |
| (d) Includes births to mothers aged less than 15 years. |
| (e) Includes births to mothers aged 50 years and over. |
| (f) Births per woman. |
| (g) Births per 1,000 estimated resident population. |
| (h) Daughters surviving to reproductive age per woman. |
| (i) Due to changes in identification of Indigenous births, care should be taken when interpreting changes in the number of Indigenous births over time. |
| (j) Includes births to fathers aged less than 15 years. |
| (k) By state/territory of registration. Includes all children born to a mother, for all states and territories excluding Victoria and Queensland. For Victoria and Queensland, includes previous children of the current relationship only. Due to the high proportion of confinements in Tasmania for which no information on previous children of mother was available, data for Tasmania should be interpreted with caution. See paragraph 40 to 43 of the Explanatory Notes for more information. |
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