Asia-Pacific News
New Zealand having baby boom
May 19, 2009, 2:36 GMT
Wellington - New Zealand is experiencing a baby boom despite the recession that has hit the economy over the last year, according to official figures released on Tuesday.
The birth rate of 2.2 births per woman in the 12 months to March 31, when 64,160 babies were born, was the highest since 1991, Statistics New Zealand reported.
Despite that, it remained about half the peak of 4.3 births per woman reached in 1961.
New Zealand women on average now have children about five years later than their counterparts 40 years ago, with the median age of 30, compared with 25 in 1969.
The median age of women giving birth to their first child was 28 in the year ended March 2009.
A newborn girl can expect to live an average of 82.2 years and a boy 78.2 years, Statistics New Zealand said.
Since 1975-77, life expectancy at birth has increased by 6.8 years for females and 9.2 years for males.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
