India records highest number of births on New Year’s Day 2020

India recorded the highest number of babies born worldwide on New Year’s Day with the world’s second-most populous country registering an estimated 67,385 births out of the nearly 400,000 babies born globally on that day, the UN children’s agency said.

Nearly 400,000 babies were born around the world on New Year’s Day with India recording the highest number of these births worldwide at 67,385, the UN children’s agency said.

The beginning of a new year and a new decade is an opportunity to reflect on our hopes and aspirations not only for our future, but the future of those who will come after us, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.

As the calendar flips each January, we are reminded of all the possibility and potential of each child embarking on her or his life’s journey-if they are just given that chance.

Fiji in the Pacific most likely delivered 2020’s first baby, while the US, the last of the New Year’s Day. Globally, over half of these births were estimated to have taken place in eight countries – India (67,385), China (46,299), Nigeria (26,039), Pakistan (16,787), Indonesia (13,020), United States of America (10,452), Democratic Republic of Congo (10,247) and Ethiopia (8,493).

Each January, UNICEF celebrates babies born on New Year’s Day, an auspicious day for childbirth around the world, it said. However, for millions of newborns around the world, the day of their birth is far less auspicious.