Annual deaths exceed 30,000 for the first time

Annual deaths registrations for the December 2011 year exceeded 30,000 for the first time, Statistics New
Zealand said today. There were 30,080 deaths registered in the December 2011 year, an increase of
1,640 (6 percent) from the December 2010 year.

"The increase in deaths is not unexpected," Population Statistics manager Andrea Blackburn said. "The
number of deaths is gradually increasing due to population growth in the older age groups."

Statistics NZ's mid-range population projections indicate that deaths will continue to increase, and are
expected to surpass 40,000 in 2029 and 50,000 in 2042.

Meanwhile, births decreased in the December 2011 year. There were 61,400 live births registered in New
Zealand in the December 2011 year, down 2,490 from the December 2010 year. Live births, combined
with the deaths, resulted in a natural increase (live births minus deaths) of 31,320, down from 35,460 in
the December 2010 year.

See also:  Births and Deaths: Year ended December 2011, Information Release