Family Facts and Figures: Births
Statistical information provided in charts and data tables on births in Australia
- Number of births, Australia
- Total fertility rate, selected years
- Age-specific fertility rate, 1921-2009
- Age of new mothers
- Rate of ex-nuptial births, selected years
Number of births, Australia
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 102221 |
| 1921 | 136198 |
| 1925 | 135792 |
| 1930 | 128399 |
| 1934 | 109475 |
| 1940 | 126347 |
| 1945 | 160560 |
| 1955 | 207677 |
| 1961 | 239986 |
| 1965 | 222854 |
| 1970 | 257516 |
| 1975 | 233012 |
| 1980 | 225527 |
| 1990 | 262648 |
| 1995 | 256190 |
| 2000 | 249636 |
| 2001 | 246394 |
| 2002 | 250988 |
| 2003 | 251161 |
| 2004 | 254246 |
| 2005 | 259791 |
| 2006 | 265949 |
| 2007 | 285213 |
| 2008 | 296621 |
| 2009 | 295738 |
Sources: ABS (2008). Australian historical population statistics, Catalogue no. 3106.0.65.001
ABS (2010). Births Australia 2009, Catalogue no. 3301.0
Total fertility rate, selected years
| Year | TFR |
|---|---|
| 1921 | 3.119 |
| 1925 | 2.950 |
| 1930 | 2.581 |
| 1934 | 2.107 |
| 1940 | 2.256 |
| 1945 | 2.736 |
| 1955 | 3.275 |
| 1961 | 3.548 |
| 1965 | 2.973 |
| 1970 | 2.859 |
| 1975 | 2.148 |
| 1980 | 1.891 |
| 1985 | 1.923 |
| 1990 | 1.902 |
| 1995 | 1.822 |
| 2000 | 1.756 |
| 2001 | 1.729 |
| 2002 | 1.756 |
| 2003 | 1.748 |
| 2004 | 1.763 |
| 2005 | 1.791 |
| 2006 | 1.817 |
| 2007 | 1.920 |
| 2008 | 1.956 |
| 2009 | 1.901 |
Sources: ABS (various years), Births Australia, Catalogue No. 3310.0.
Age-specific fertility rate, 1921-2009
| Year | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 26.6 | 135.9 | 169.0 | 142.5 | 101.9 | 43.6 |
| 1925 | 29.1 | 130.8 | 163.4 | 131.3 | 92.8 | 38.4 |
| 1930 | 29.3 | 120.2 | 144.9 | 112.2 | 75.6 | 30.9 |
| 1934 | 24.6 | 97.9 | 120.7 | 93.3 | 58.4 | 24.1 |
| 1940 | 23.6 | 112.5 | 136.8 | 100.5 | 56.6 | 19.4 |
| 1945 | 23.8 | 132.4 | 164.2 | 125.2 | 76.1 | 23.7 |
| 1955 | 41.8 | 205.4 | 199.6 | 122.0 | 64.4 | 20.4 |
| 1961 | 47.4 | 225.8 | 221.2 | 131.1 | 63.4 | 19.2 |
| 1965 | 47.5 | 179.3 | 188.5 | 110.1 | 53.0 | 15.0 |
| 1970 | 50.9 | 172.0 | 189.6 | 101.8 | 44.9 | 11.7 |
| 1975 | 40.1 | 133.9 | 149.6 | 74.1 | 26.0 | 6.1 |
| 1980 | 27.6 | 107.0 | 141.0 | 75.1 | 23.7 | 4.4 |
| 1985 | 22.8 | 95.8 | 146.0 | 89.0 | 26.9 | 4.5 |
| 1990 | 22.1 | 79.4 | 137.9 | 101.7 | 34.7 | 5.5 |
| 1995 | 20.4 | 67.1 | 121.7 | 106.0 | 42.3 | 7.2 |
| 2000 | 17.7 | 59.2 | 107.9 | 109.5 | 48.7 | 8.7 |
| 2001 | 17.7 | 58.0 | 104.4 | 107.9 | 49.0 | 9.2 |
| 2002 | 17.2 | 56.4 | 104.5 | 111.2 | 52.1 | 9.7 |
| 2003 | 16.1 | 54.2 | 102.5 | 112.3 | 54.2 | 10.0 |
| 2004 | 16.0 | 52.7 | 101.8 | 114.0 | 57.2 | 10.5 |
| 2005 | 15.7 | 51.8 | 102.0 | 117.0 | 60.3 | 10.8 |
| 2006 | 15.3 | 51.4 | 101.0 | 120.4 | 63.4 | 11.3 |
| 2007 | 16.0 | 55.5 | 105.6 | 125.9 | 67.8 | 12.6 |
| 2008 | 17.2 | 56.5 | 104.9 | 127.1 | 70.6 | 14.1 |
| 2009 | 16.7 | 53.8 | 102.2 | 123.9 | 68.7 | 14.2 |
Source: ABS (various years). Births Australia, Catalogue no. 3301.0
Age of new mothers
| Age (years) | 1980 | 1991 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| <20 | 8.3% | 12.1% | 8.3% |
| 20-24 | 39.8% | 28.4% | 19.2% |
| 25-29 | 37.1% | 36.3% | 30.3% |
| 30-34 | 11.9% | 18.1% | 27.6% |
| 35-39 | 2.5% | 4.5% | 12.2% |
| 40+ | 0.4% | 0.6% | 2.3% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Note: Mothers who gave birth outside marriage were excluded for the year 1980.
Sources: ABS (1981). Births Australia, Catalogue no. 3301
Lancaster, Huang & Pedisich (1994). Australia's mothers and babies 1991 (AIHW Perinatal Statistics Series no. 1)
Laws, P.J., Li, Z. & Sullivan, E.A. (2010). Australia's mothers and babies 2008 ( AIHW Perinatal statistics series no. 24. Cat. no. PER 50)
Rate of ex-nuptial births, selected years
| Year | % |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 6.0% |
| 1911 | 5.8% |
| 1921 | 4.8% |
| 1931 | 4.9% |
| 1941 | 3.8% |
| 1951 | 3.9% |
| 1960 | 4.8% |
| 1970 | 8.3% |
| 1980 | 12.4% |
| 1995 | 26.6% |
| 2000 | 29.3% |
| 2009 | 34.5% |
Sources: Commonwealth Bureau of census and Statistics (various years) Demography Bulletin
ABS (various years). Births Australia, Catalogue no. 3301.0