1307.8 - Australian Capital Territory in Focus, 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/11/2007  Ceased
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Contents >> People >> Fertility

FERTILITY

The total fertility rate (TFR) represents the number of children a female would bear during her lifetime if she experienced current age-specific fertility rates at each age of her reproductive life.


The TFR in the ACT for 2005 was 1.65 babies per woman. This was below the national figure of 1.81 and was the lowest for any state or territory. Over the decade to 2005 the ACT recorded the lowest fertility rate of any state or territory every year except 1999, when it was second lowest behind Victoria.

5.5 Total fertility rate (a), ACT and Australia
Graph: 5.5 Total fertility rate (a), ACT and Australia




Age-specific fertility

Age-specific fertility rates are the number of live births during the calendar year, according to the age of the mother, per 1,000 of the female population of the same age at 30 June.


In 2005, the ACT recorded the lowest age specific fertility rates of all states and territories for women aged 15-19 years (9.5 births per 1,000 women), 20-24 years (33.7), and 25-29 years (85.0). In comparison, national age-specific fertility rates for these age groups were 16.0, 52.9 and 103.0, respectively.


However, the ACT recorded the highest rates for women aged 30-34 (122.6), 35-39 years (67.4) and 40-44 years (12.1). The national age-specific fertility rates for these three age groups were 117.5, 60.6 and 10.9 respectively.

5.6 Summary, Births statistics - 2000-2005

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

BIRTHS

Registered births, ACT(a)
Male no.
2 074
1 995
2 082
2 128
2 156
2 127
Female no.
1 991
1 943
2 030
2 000
2 018
2 079
Total no.
4 065
3 938
4 112
4 128
4 174
4 206
Exnuptial births, ACT(a)
Proportion of total births %
25.5
27.1
26.8
27.3
28.0
28.0

FERTILITY

Age-specific fertility rate, ACT(b)
15-19 years(c) rate
10.6
9.8
11.3
8.8
8.1
9.5
20-24 years rate
39.5
37.1
36.5
36.0
30.0
33.7
25-29 years rate
98.6
96.0
93.7
90.1
81.5
85.0
30-34 years rate
108.0
101.8
111.4
118.0
120.3
122.6
35-39 years rate
51.2
51.5
53.5
55.8
70.7
67.4
40-44 years rate
8.0
8.1
11.8
10.8
15.4
12.1
45-49 years(d) rate
0.2
0.7
0.4
0.8
1.2
0.5
Total fertility rate(e)
ACT rate
1.576
1.519
1.591
1.603
1.637
1.652
Aust. rate
1.756
1.729
1.759
1.754
1.774
1.806
Net reproduction rate(f)
ACT rate
0.764
0.743
0.778
0.769
0.779
0.800
Aust. rate
0.844
0.833
0.848
0.842
0.853
0.865
Crude birth rate(g)
ACT rate
12.9
12.3
12.8
12.8
12.9
12.9
Aust. rate
13.0
12.7
12.8
12.6
12.7
12.8

(a) Based on state/territory of usual residence of mother.
(b) Births per 1,000 women.
(c) Includes births to mothers aged less than 15 years.
(d) Includes births to mothers aged 50 years and over.
(e) Births per woman.
(f) Daughters surviving to reproductive age per woman.
(g) Per 1,000 population at 30 June.
Births, Australia (cat.no. 3301.0).



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