Tables About Christchurch City

Cultural diversity



Ethnic group

2006 Census

Ethnic Groups in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1)(2) 2006 Census
Ethnic groups
     
 
Region/City/DistrictNew Zealand
European
 255,366  2,609,589
Māori
 25,725  565,326
Pacific peoples
 9,465  265,974
Asian
 26,631  354,549
Middle Eastern/Latin American/African(3)
 2,859  34,746
Other ethnicity(4)
     New Zealander
 43,671  429,429
     Other ethnicity–other
 114  1,494
     Total  43,782  430,881
Total people  338,748  3,860,163

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each ethnic group, whether as their only ethnic group or as one of several ethnic groups. Where a person reported more than one ethnic group, they have been counted in each applicable group. 
3. 'Middle Eastern, Latin American and African' was introduced as a new category for the 2006 Census. Previously, Middle Eastern, Latin American and African responses were allocated to the 'other ethnicity' category.
4. 'Other ethnicity' includes responses for a number of small ethnic groups and for 'New Zealander.' For 2006, New Zealander responses made the largest contribution towards the 'other ethnicity' category. 

2001–2006 Censuses

Ethnic Groups in Christchurch City,(1)(2) 2001–2006 Censuses
Ethnic groups
     
 
20012006
European
 282,318  255,369
Māori
 22,533  25,725
Pacific peoples
 7,674  9,465
Asian
 17,625  26,631
Middle Eastern/Latin American/African(3)
 1,974  2,859
Other ethnicity(4)
     New Zealander
...  43,671
     Other ethnicity–other
 87  114
     Total  87  43,782
Total people  314,865  338,748

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each ethnic group, whether as their only ethnic group or as one of several ethnic groups. Where a person reported more than one ethnic group, they have been counted in each applicable group.
3. 'Middle Eastern, Latin American and African' was introduced as a new category for the 2006 Census. Previously Middle Eastern, Latin American and African responses were allocated to the 'other ethnicity' category.
4. 'New Zealander' was included as a new category for the 2006 Census. New Zealander responses form part of the 'other ethnicity' category. For 2006, New Zealander responses made the largest contribution towards the 'other ethnicity' category. For 2001, New Zealander was counted in the 'European' category.

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Birthplace

2006 Census

Birthplace of People in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1) 2006 Census
     
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
New Zealand
 266,769  2,960,217
Australia(2)
 5,964  62,742
Pacific Islands(3)
 4,590  135,852
UK and Ireland
 22,824  251,688
Europe, excl UK and Ireland
 6,750  68,067
North America
 2,829  26,940
Asia
 21,852  251,130
Other
 5,217  83,124
Not elsewhere included(4)
 11,646  188,187
Total  348,435  4,027,947
 
1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes Australian territories.
3. Includes Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
4. Includes 'inadequately described' and 'not stated' responses.

 

Birthplace of Māori in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1) 2006 Census
     
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
New Zealand
 24,858  547,305
Australia(2)
 279  5,973
Pacific Islands(3)
 39  540
UK and Ireland
 69  1,026
Europe, excl UK and Ireland
 6  168
North America
 33  432
Asia
 48  480
Other
 12  111
Not elsewhere included(4)
 381  9,294
Total  25,725  565,326

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes Australian territories.
3. Includes Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
4. Includes 'inadequately described' and 'not stated' responses. 

1996–2006 Censuses

Birthplace of People in Christchurch City,(1) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
New Zealand
 257,055  260,688  266,766
Australia(2)
 5,013  5,205  5,964
Pacific Islands(3)
 3,231  3,732  4,590
UK and Ireland
 20,529  20,280  22,821
Europe, excl UK and Ireland
 5,307  5,571  6,750
North America
 1,989  2,157  2,829
Asia
 10,611  14,334  21,852
Other
 2,130  3,390  5,217
Not elsewhere included(4)
 10,740  8,700  11,646
Total  316,608  324,057  348,435

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes Australian territories.
3. Includes Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
4. The 1996 data includes 'not elsewhere classified'. The 2001 and 2006 data includes 'inadequately described' and 'not stated' responses.

Birthplace of Māori in Christchurch City,(1) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
New Zealand
 21,291  21,984  24,858
Australia(2)
 177  210  282
Pacific Islands(3)
 39  27  39
UK and Ireland
 63  48  69
Europe, excl UK and Ireland
 15  9  6
North America
 21  21  33
Asia
 60  48  45
Other
 6  12  12
Not elsewhere included(4)
 372  174  381
Total  22,047  22,533  25,725

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes Australian territories.
3. Includes Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
4. The 1996 data includes 'not elsewhere classified'. The 2001 and 2006 data includes 'inadequately described' and 'not stated' responses.
 

Languages spoken

2006 Census

Languages Spoken in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1)(2) 2006 Census
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
English
 324,327  3,673,626
Māori
 6,450  157,110
Samoan
 4,209  85,428
NZ Sign Language
 2,223  24,087
Other
 39,789  509,358
None(3)
 6,471  75,567
Total people  336,258  3,830,757

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each language spoken, whether as their only language or as one of several languages. Where a person reported more than one language spoken, they have been counted in each applicable group.
3. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.


Languages Spoken by Māori in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1)(2) 2006 Census
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
English
 24,309  530,892
Māori
 4,554  131,613
Samoan
 204  3,693
NZ Sign Language
 267  5,538
Other
 561  9,264
None(3)
 795  15,576
Total people  25,338  554,355

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each language spoken, whether as their only language or as one of several languages. Where a person reported more than one language spoken, they have been counted in each applicable group.
3. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'. 

1996–2006 Censuses

Languages Spoken in Christchurch City,(1)(2) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
English
 293,853  303,222  324,327
Māori
 5,907  6,588  6,450
Samoan
 3,333  3,753  4,212
NZ Sign Language
 2,877  2,748  2,223
Other
 25,536  30,120  39,789
None(3)
 7,239  6,126  6,471
Total people  305,343  312,945  336,261

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each language spoken, whether as their only language or as one of several languages. Where a person reported more than one language spoken, they have been counted in each applicable group.
3. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.

Languages Spoken by Māori in Christchurch City,(1)(2) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
English
 20,409  21,279  24,309
Māori
 3,954  4,347  4,554
Samoan
 213  192  204
NZ Sign Language
 366  354  267
Other
 555  564  561
None(3)
 987  786  795
Total people  21,756  22,269  25,338

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes all of the people who stated each language spoken, whether as their only language or as one of several languages. Where a person reported more than one language spoken, they have been counted in each applicable group.
3. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'. 

Number of languages spoken

2006 Census

Number of Languages Spoken in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1) 2006 Census
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
None(2)
 6,447  75,198
One
 283,986  3,083,904
Two
 37,947  562,446
Three
 5,790  83,403
Four
 1,524  19,281
Five
 444  5,052
Six
 120  1,476
Not elsewhere included(3)
 12,174  197,190
Total  348,435  4,027,947

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.
3. Includes responses that were classified as 'response unidentifiable', 'response outside scope' and 'not stated'.

Number of Languages Spoken by Māori in Christchurch City and New Zealand,(1) 2006 Census
 
Region/ City/ DistrictNew Zealand
None(2)
 789  15,462
One
 19,683  407,094
Two
 4,401  122,469
Three
 345  7,131
Four
 78  1,587
Five
 27  381
Six
 12  234
Not elsewhere included(3)
 390  10,971
Total  25,725  565,329

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.
3. Includes responses that were classified as 'response unidentifiable', 'response outside scope' and 'not stated'. 

1996–2006 Censuses

Number of Languages Spoken in Christchurch City,(1) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
None(2)
 7,212  6,057  6,447
One
 266,025  269,112  283,986
Two
 26,109  30,594  37,947
Three
 4,449  5,250  5,790
Four
 1,116  1,728  1,521
Five
 324  150  447
Six
 99  54  120
Not elsewhere included(3)
 11,274  11,115  12,174
Total  316,608  324,060  348,435

1. All figures are for the census usually resident population count.
2. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.
3. Data for 1996 includes responses that were classified as 'not applicable' and 'not specified'. The 2006 and 2001 data includes 'response unidentifiable', 'response outside scope' and 'not stated'.

Number of Languages Spoken by Māori in Christchurch City,(1) 1996–2006 Censuses
 
199620012006
None(2)
 984  780  789
One
 16,515  16,815  19,683
Two
 3,786  4,164  4,401
Three
 354  363  345
Four
 75  105  78
Five
 24  27  24
Six
 12  12  12
Not elsewhere included(3)
 294  261  387
Total  22,050  22,533  25,725

1. All figures are for the Māori ethnic group census usually resident population count.
2. Includes people who were 'too young to talk' or 'unable to speak a language'.
3. Data for 1996 includes responses that were classified as 'not applicable' and 'not specified'. The 2006 and 2001 data includes 'response unidentifiable', 'response outside scope' and 'not stated'.

Note: This data has been randomly rounded to protect confidentiality. Individual figures may not add up to totals and values for the same data may vary in different tables.