The China Post
Date: October 16, 2016
By: CNA

TAIPEI–A total of 151,411 babies were born in Taiwan in the first nine months of this year, down 2,630 or 1.7 percent from the same period last year, according to government statistics released Saturday.

The figure translates into a crude birth rate of 8.6 per 1,000 population, a decrease of 0.5 points from the previous year’s level, Ministry of the Interior data showed.

Between January and September, Lienchiang County in Taiwan’s outlying island group of Matsu had the highest crude birth rate at 8.9 per 1,000 population, while the lowest rate — 4.1 per 1,000 population — was recorded in Chiayi County.

Penghu County, meanwhile, saw the highest growth in crude birth rate at 0.5 points.

Among the six special municipalities of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, all saw their crude birth rates decline, except for Taoyuan, which recorded a rise of 0.4 points.     [FULL  STORY]