From correspondents in Wellington, New Zealand, 10:00 AM IST

New Zealand is experiencing a baby boom with 64,140 births in the 12 months ending June 30, the highest number in 36 years, according to official figures released Monday.

The birth rate in the year was 2.2 per woman, up from 2.1 in 2006-07 and the highest fertility level since 1991, Statistics New Zealand said.

Despite the increase, the birth rate is still about only half the peak of 4.3 per woman reached in 1961 when the population totalled 2.5 million, compared with just under 4.3 million today.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)