Mortality

Age differences

Death rates vary significantly by age group. 

Death rates are lowest between the ages of 5 and 14 and then rise sharply. Young people aged 15 to 19 have more than four times the mortality rate of those aged 10 to 14.  This increase in mortality is particularly marked among males.

Age-specific death rate (deaths per 1,000 population), by sex, 2006
  Sex Total
Age group (years) Males Females
0 to 4 1.3 1.1 1.3
5 to 9 0.1 0.1 0.1
10 to 14 0.1 0.1 0.1
15 to 19 0.6 0.4 0.6
20 to 24 0.6 0.3 0.6
25 to 29 0.6 0.4 0.7
30 to 34 0.7 0.5 0.7
35 to 39 0.9 0.7 1.0
40 to 44 1.4 1.1 1.4
45 to 49 2.2 1.8 2.2
50 to 54 3.2 2.8 3.2
55 to 59 5.1 4.2 5.1
60 to 64 8.2 6.4 8.2
65 to 69 13.0 10.3 13.0
70 to 74 22.3 18.1 22.3
75 to 79 37.0 30.5 37.0
80 to 85 62.6 53.2 62.6
85 to 89 114.6 102.7 114.6
90 + 231.1 226.2 231.1

Source: Statistics New Zealand, death tables.