The number of births in Australia in 2005 was the highest recorded since 1992, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
There were 261,400 births registered in the year ended 31 December 2005, an increase of 2.4 per cent (or 6,200 babies) on 2004. The number of deaths registered was 130,600, a 1.8 per cent reduction on the numbers of deaths registered in 2004.
More births and fewer deaths during the 2005 calendar year pushed the natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) of Australia's population to its highest level in 11 years. Australia's natural increase was 130,800 people, an increase of 7 per cent (or 8,600 people) on the 2004 figure (122,200).
The Australian population grew by 242,300 (or 1.2 per cent) during the year ended 31 December 2005. Natural increase contributed 54 per cent, and net overseas migration contributed 46 per cent to this total, reaching just under 20.5 million people.
All states and territories gained population in 2005, with Queensland experiencing the largest percentage gain (1.9 per cent or 74,800 people) and South Australia the lowest (0.6 per cent or 9,900 people). Queensland's population now exceeds 4 million people.
The Northern Territory, having the second highest population growth rate for 2005, has experienced a large change over the last four years increasing from a growth rate of 0.1 per cent in 2002 to 1.8 per cent in 2005.
