The number of live births in the Sultanate in the year 2014 stood at 82,981, of which 6291 were expatriate babies and 76,690 were Omanis. Male births numbered 42,419, exceeding females by 1857. There were 39,206 male births and 37,484 female births among the Omanis, while 3213 expatriate newborns were boys and 3078 were girls, NCSI said quoting Ministry of Health data. Also, there has been a 4.49% rise in the number of births (Omani and expatriates together) last year compared to 2013. Male births increased by 4.58% while female births went up by 4.39%. However, among expatriates, percentage increase in female births significantly exceeded male births with female and male births rising by 5.63% and 2.65% respectively last year compared to 2013. In contrast, growth in Omani male births was higher at 4.74% compared to 4.29% rise in female births. At the governorate level, al Batinah North registered the highest number of births at 17,108, followed by Muscat at 16,931 and Al Dakhiliyah at 11,704. Omani births followed the same pattern with Al Batinah North recording 16,565; Muscat 13,766 and Al Dakhiliya 11,543. Births among expatriates were the highest in Muscat numbering 3165, while Dhofar came in at second place recording 814 births followed by al Batinah North at 543.