3311.7.55.001 - Demography, Northern Territory, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/02/2005   
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POPULATION
BIRTHS AND CONFINEMENTS
DEATHS
MIGRATION
MARRIAGES
DIVORCES
THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER POPULATION


NOTES


OVERVIEW

This electronic product provides a demographic overview of the Northern Territory, 2003. It contains summary tables and commentary on trends in the components of population change including births, deaths and migration. Marriages, divorces, estimated resident population and various demographic rates are also presented. Population and migration data are for the year ended 30 June 2003, while births, deaths, marriages and divorces data are for the year ended 31 December 2003.

    For comparisons between the states and territories of Australia, please refer to Demography, Australia, 2003 (cat. no. 3311.0.55.001). Demography publications for each state and territory can be accessed from the following links:
    Additional state demographic data are also available from publications and data cubes linked at the foot of this page. The Demography Theme Page provides links to other Australian as well as international demographic statistics. The National Regional Profiles provide economic and social statistics of Statistical Local Areas and Local Government Areas of Australia.

    INQUIRIES

    For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Geoff Brown on Darwin (08) 8943 2164.



    SUMMARY COMMENTARY


    INTRODUCTION

    At the end of June 2003 the Northern Territory's population represented approximately 1% of Australia's total population of just under 20 million.The Northern Territory had the highest male to female sex ratio at 111.1 males per 100 females as at 30 June 2003, with only Western Australia also having a ratio above 100.0 (100.3). Nationally, there were more females than males with a ratio of 98.7 males per 100 females.


    The Northern Territory had the lowest median age (30.3 years) of all states and the ACT, almost 6 years lower than the median age of 36.2 years for all persons resident in Australia.



    POPULATION

    At 30 June 2003 the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory was 198,500 people (104,500 males and 94,000 females). During 2002-03 the Northern Territory's population decreased by 0.1% (100 people).


    Over the ten years to 30 June 2003, the resident population of the Northern Territory increased by 27,800 people (16.3%).

    POPULATION COMPONENTS, Northern Territory - 1998-2003
    Graph: POPULATION COMPONENTS, Northern Territory—1998-2003


    POPULATION, Northern Territory - Selected years at 30 June
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Estimated resident population('000)
    170.7
    198.7
    198.5
    Components of population change(a)
    Natural increase(b)no.
    2,857
    2,838
    2,943
    Net overseas migration(c)no.
    44
    655
    325
    Net interstate migrationno.
    -699
    -2,596
    -3,389
    Total increase(d)no.
    2,648
    897
    -121
    Annual growth rate%
    1.58
    0.45
    -0.06
    Estimated resident households(e)('000)
    54.3
    (f)nya
    (f)nya
    nya not yet available
    (a) From previous year.
    (b) Births and deaths figures used to compile natural increase for population estimates are based on year of occurrence and may differ from births and deaths data based on year of registration displayed in the Births and Confinements and Deaths sections of this table.
    (c) Until 1997 net overseas migration data for Jervis Bay, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Island were randomly allocated to the states and territories. For these years the sum of the components may therefore not equal net overseas migration.
    (d) Includes intercensal discrepancy not accounted for by natural increase and net migration.
    (e) 1993 figures are based on 1996 census, figures from 1997 on are based on 2001 census.
    (f) Data is under review.


    Natural increase contributed 2,900 people to the Northern Territory's population in 2002-03 and was the largest component of population change. Net overseas migration added a further 330, while the net outflow due to interstate migration was 3,400 people. The above graph shows the contribution of the three components of change in the total population for the Northern Territory over the past six years.



    BIRTHS AND CONFINEMENTS

    There were 3,800 live births registered to mothers usually resident in the Northern Territory in 2003. Registrations of births were 1.8% higher than in 2002. The crude birth rate was 19.1 births per 1,000 population, up from 18.7 in 2002 and still the highest of any state or territory. The national crude birth rate was 12.6 births per 1,000 population. There were 2,000 male births and 1,800 female births registered in 2003, giving a sex ratio of 110.3 males born per 100 females. This is the highest sex ratio for births of all states and territories and compares with 105.9 males per 100 female births for Australia as a whole.

    AGE-SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATES(a), Selected age groups, Northern Territory - 2001-2003
    Graph: AGE-SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATES(a), Selected age groups, Northern Territory—2001-2003


    BIRTHS AND CONFINEMENTS(a), Northern Territory - Selected years
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Live births
    Numberno.
    3,603
    3,724
    3,790
    Crude birth rate(b)rate
    21.1
    18.7
    19.1
    Total fertility rate(c)rate
    2.283
    2.289
    2.377
    Net reproduction rate(d)rate
    1.051
    1.071
    1.091
    All confinements
    Numberno.
    3,560
    3,675
    3,743
    Median age of mother(e)years
    26.7
    28.1
    28.2
    Nuptial confinements
    Numberno.
    1,590
    1,390
    1,340
    Median age of mother(e)years
    29.5
    31.3
    31.6
    Median age of father(e)years
    32.1
    33.6
    33.5
    First nuptial confinements
    Numberno.
    644
    563
    557
    Median age of mother(e)years
    28.4
    30.1
    30.4
    (a) Compiled on year of registration basis.
    (b) Births per 1,000 population.
    (c) Births per woman.
    (d) Daughters surviving to reproductive age per woman.
    (e) The age at which half the population is older and half is younger.


    In 2003 the total fertility rate (TFR), which represents the number of children a female would bear during her reproductive lifetime based on current age-specific fertility rates, was 2.38, the highest fertility rate of all states and territories and above the national rate of 1.75. The median age of parents in the Northern Territory was 28.2 years (mothers) and 31.7 years (fathers) both below the national median of 30.5 and 32.6 years respectively.



    DEATHS

    In 2003 there were 880 registered deaths of persons usually resident in the Northern Territory. The 2003 total comprised 550 males and 330 females, a sex ratio of 167.6 male deaths per 100 female deaths. The sex ratio for the Northern Territory was again the highest of any state or the ACT. The national sex ratio was 106.8 in 2003.


    There were 30 infant deaths in the Northern Territory in 2003 with a sex ratio of 220.0 male infant deaths to 100 female infant deaths. This compared with the sex ratio at birth of 110.3. The infant mortality rate (IMR) fell from 11.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2002 to 8.4 in 2003 but remained significantly higher than the national rate of 4.8.

    STANDARDISED DEATH RATES(a), Australia and Northern Territory - 1998-2003
    Graph: STANDARDISED DEATH RATES(a), Australia and Northern Territory—1998-2003


    DEATHS(a), Northern Territory - Selected years
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Numberno.
    765
    911
    875
    Crude death rate(b)rate
    4.5
    4.6
    4.4
    Standardised death rate(c)rate
    11.7
    9.0
    9.0
    Median age at death(d)
    Malesyears
    53.5
    55.9
    56.7
    Femalesyears
    56.7
    55.8
    63.8
    Infant deaths
    Numberno.
    55
    42
    32
    Infant mortality rate(e)rate
    15.3
    11.3
    8.4
    Life expectancy at birth
    Malesyears
    69.0
    71.3
    72.0
    Femalesyears
    73.6
    76.7
    77.3
    (a) Compiled on year of registration basis.
    (b) Deaths per 1,000 population.
    (c) Deaths per 1,000 standard population. Standardised death rates have been revised using the 2001 standard population.
    (d) The age at which there are as many people dying above the age as there are below it.
    (e) Deaths per 1,000 live births.


    The crude death rate for 2003 was 4.4 deaths per 1,000 of total population. After standardisation for age, the death rate increased to 9.0 deaths per 1,000 of total population in 2003 which was above the national rate of 6.4. The standardised death rate (SDR) for males in the Northern Territory was 10.4 per 1,000 population compared with 7.4 for females. Nationally, the SDR for males was 7.9 and 5.2 for females.


    In 2003 the median age at death in the Northern Territory was 56.7 years for males and 63.8 years for females which was significantly lower than the national median age at death of 76.2 years for males and 82.4 years for females. In the Northern Territory in 2003, male age-specific death rates exceeded female age-specific death rates for all age groups except 5-14 years. The male infant mortality rate fell from 12.0 in 2002 to 11.1 in 2003, while the female infant mortality rate fell from 10.5 to 5.5 during the same period.



    MIGRATION

    In 2002-03 overseas migration was a positive component of population growth with more people choosing to settle in the Northern Territory from an overseas country than leaving the Northern Territory for overseas. This resulted in a net overseas migration gain of 330 people.


    During 2003, the largest number of settler arrivals who chose the Northern Territory as their intended address were born in South-East Asia (150) followed by North-West Europe (80) and North Africa and the Middle East (80).

    NET INTERSTATE MIGRATION, Northern Territory - at 30 June 2002-2003
    Graph: NET INTERSTATE MIGRATION, Northern Territory—at 30 June 2002-2003


    MIGRATION, Northern Territory - Selected years at 30 June
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Overseas migration
    Permanent and long-term movement(a)
    Arrivalsno.
    1,393
    2,597
    2,564
    Departuresno.
    1,121
    2,453
    2,130
    Net overseas migration(b)no.
    44
    655
    325
    Interstate migration
    Arrivalsno.
    17,405
    14,594
    14,757
    Departuresno.
    18,104
    17,190
    18,146
    Net Interstate migrationno.
    -699
    -2,596
    -3,389
    (a) Based on stated intention on arrival or departure.
    (b) Figures for year ending 30 June 1993 include an adjustment for category jumping. For years ending 30 June 2002 and 2003, figures have been adjusted for changes in traveller intention and multiple mover error.


    The Northern Territory experienced a further loss from net interstate migration during 2002-03 with 3,400 more people leaving for other states and the ACT than arriving to settle in the NT. Throughout 2002-03 the largest net loss of interstate migrants was to Queensland (2000).



    MARRIAGES

    There were 720 marriages registered in the Northern Territory in 2003, a decrease of 3% compared with 2002. The crude marriage rate was 3.6 marriages per 1,000 population, remaining well below the national rate of 5.4. The median age at marriage in 2003 was 33.1 years for males and 30.0 years for females. For those marrying for the first time, the median age was 29.8 for bridegrooms and 27.3 for brides, similar to the national median ages for first marriages.

    MARRIAGES, Northern Territory - Selected years
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Number registeredno.
    806
    747
    723
    Crude marriage rate(a)rate
    4.7
    3.8
    3.6
    Median age at marriage(b)
    Bridegroomyears
    30.7
    32.3
    33.1
    Brideyears
    27.7
    29.4
    30.0
    (a) Marriages per 1,000 population.
    (b) The age at which there are as many people marrying above the age as there are below it.



    DIVORCES

    There were 490 divorces granted in the Northern Territory in 2003, a decrease of 5% from the number granted in 2002. The crude divorce rate for the Northern Territory was 2.5 per 1,000 population in 2003, slightly down from 2.6 in 2002. The median duration of marriage for the Northern Territory in 2003 was 11.7 years, compared to 12.2 years nationally.

    DIVORCES, Northern Territory - Selected Years
    1993
    2002
    2003
    Number grantedno.
    382
    516
    490
    Crude divorce rate(a)rate
    2.2
    2.6
    2.5
    Median duration of marriage
    To separationyears
    6.9
    7.2
    8.0
    To divorceyears
    10.7
    11.3
    11.7
    (a) Divorces per 1,000 population.



    THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER POPULATION

    This section includes information on births and deaths in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population (Indigenous population) usually resident in the Northern Territory. Care needs to be taken when interpreting year-to-year movements in these data due to the relatively small numbers and possible under-recording of Indigenous status in birth and death registrations. No data on the Indigenous population are available for marriages and divorces.


    At 30 June 2001 the experimental estimated resident Indigenous population of the Northern Territory was 56,900. The Indigenous population comprised 29% of the total population of the NT, the highest proportion of any state or territory.


    Indigenous births are defined as births in which one or both parents identified as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. In 2003 there were 1,600 Indigenous births in the Northern Territory. These births comprised 43% of all NT births registered in 2003. Indigenous women in the Northern Territory experienced the highest fertility rate (2.83 babies per woman) in Australia. High fertility at younger ages contributes to the relatively high fertility of Indigenous women with Indigenous mothers living in the Northern Territory having a median age of 23.8 years in 2003 compared to 28.2 years for all Northern Territory mothers.


    Of the 880 deaths registered in the Northern Territory in 2003, 440 (50%) were Indigenous deaths. There were 260 male and 170 female deaths registered, giving a sex ratio of 151.4 males for every 100 female deaths. This compares with a sex ratio of 167.6 for all deaths in the Northern Territory and 106.8 nationally. In 2003 the median age at death was 46.3 years for Indigenous males and 52.8 years for Indigenous females. These ages were considerably lower than the median age at death for the non-indigenous Northern Territory population of 65.9 years for males (a difference of 20 years) and 74.5 years for females (a difference of 22 years). In 2003 there were 20 Indigenous infant deaths which comprised 66% of the total infant deaths recorded in the Northern Territory.

    Demographic data for all Northern Territory SLAs are available from the data cube linked at the foot of this page.

    RELATED LINKS

    The following releases provide more specific or in-depth analysis and information.