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Printable version
Key Statistics - article, January/February 2002, p.11
This article gives a short analysis of population growth and decline in New Zealand using the latest census results. The final census counts show population statistics for New Zealand's regional councils, territorial authorities and urban areas. They also illustrate an increase or decrease in population counts since the last census in 1996. The number of occupied dwellings are included in these final counts.
2001 Census final population counts1
The thirty-first New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings was held on 6 March 2001. On census night, 6 March 2001, there were 3,820,749 people counted in New Zealand. This population count covers all people in New Zealand on census night including overseas visitors but excluding New Zealand residents temporarily overseas on census night. Final population counts record that 3,737,277 people said they usually lived in this country and 83,472 were overseas visitors.
The census night population count increased by 3.8 percent or 139,203 since the 1996 Census to reach 3,820,749. The 3,737,277 people usually resident in New Zealand represent an increase of 118,974 or 3.3 percent since the 1996 Census, less than half that of the previous five-year intercensal period (1991–1996) of 7.2 percent. The lower population growth between 1996 and 2001 is mainly the result of a net migration loss during the 1996–2001 intercensal period compared with a net migration gain between 1991 and 1996.
The North Island’s census usually resident population count increased by 4.1 percent or 111,627 people while the South Island’s population increased by 0.8 percent or 7,368. Three-quarters of the population who usually live in New Zealand live in the North Island.
Regional councils
The two fastest growing regions between 1996 and 2001 were Tasman and Auckland. The Tasman Region’s census usually resident population count increased by 3,381 or 8.9 percent to 41,352. Auckland’s population increased by 90,234 or 8.4 percent to 1,158,891.
The regions with the next fastest growth rate were Bay of Plenty (up 6.7 percent to 239,412), Nelson (up 3.2 percent to 41,568), and Marlborough (up 3.0 percent to 39,558).
Six regions showed declines in census usually resident population count compared with 1996, three in the South Island and three in the North Island. The West Coast Region experienced the biggest decline, with a fall of 6.8 percent or 2,211 to 30,303. Other regions to experience a decline in census usually resident population count were Southland 6.3 percent, Gisborne 4.0 percent, Manawatu-Wanganui 3.8 percent, Taranaki 3.5 percent and Otago 1.9 percent.
Auckland was the region with the highest population (1,158,891). This represents over thirty percent of New Zealand’s census usually resident population count. Auckland had more than twice as many people as the next largest regions, Canterbury and Wellington, which had 2001 census usually resident population counts of 481,431 and 423,765 respectively.
The West Coast Region had the lowest census usually resident population count, with 30,303 people. The next smallest regions were Marlborough, Tasman and Nelson with 39,558, 41,352 and 41,568 people respectively.
Territorial authorities
Compared with 1996 Census results, the fastest growing territorial authority is the South Island tourist destination of Queenstown-Lakes District. Its census usually resident population count increased by 19.3 percent or 2,757 to 17,040.
Other high growth districts were the coastal areas of Tauranga, where the census usually resident population count increased by 16.9 percent or 13,128, Western Bay of Plenty 9.3 percent or 3,264 and Tasman 8.9 percent or 3,378.
The cities in the Auckland area all had above average increases in census usually resident population count: Manukau City 11.4 percent, Waitakere City 8.5 percent, North Shore City 7.4 percent and Auckland City 6.4 percent.
Districts surrounding cities continue to show strong population growth. These include Rodney District 14.6 percent, Waimakariri District 14.1 percent, Selwyn District 10.2 percent and Kapiti Coast District 10.0 percent.
Ruapehu District was the territorial authority with the largest percentage decrease in census usually resident population count over the past five years, decreasing by 14.6 percent or 2,451 people.
Dunedin City experienced the largest numerical decline in census usually resident population count between 1996 and 2001 with a decrease of 3,801 people. Other territorial authorities to show large decreases were Invercargill City 3,378 and Ruapehu District 2,451.
The census usually resident population count of the major cities in descending order is: Auckland 367,734, Christchurch 316,227, Manukau 283,200, North Shore 184,821, Waitakere 168,750, Wellington 163,824, Hamilton 114,921, Dunedin 114,342 and Lower Hutt 95,478. Waitakere now has a larger census usually resident population count than Wellington and is now the fifth largest city. Hamilton now has a larger census usually resident population count than Dunedin and is now the seventh largest city.
The five most populous districts were Tauranga 90,906, Rodney 76,182, Whangarei 68,094, Hastings 67,425 and New Plymouth 66,603.
The territorial authority with the smallest census usually resident population count was the Chatham Islands District with 720 people. The next smallest were the Kaikoura and Mackenzie Districts with 3,483 and 3,717 people respectively.
Urban areas
The census usually resident population count for main urban areas increased by 4.5 percent or 114,318 to 2,654,850 when compared with the 1996 Census. However, 10 of the 25 main urban areas showed a decline in the number of people who usually live there.
In the five years since the last census, the census usually resident population count of secondary urban areas declined by 0.4 percent or 867 to 235,686, while minor urban areas declined by 0.3 percent or 984 to 313,038.
Between 1996 and 2001 the census usually resident population count of rural centres and rural areas increased by 1.4 percent or 7,101 to 532,737.
Seventy-one percent of the census usually resident population now live in a main urban area, compared with 70.2 percent in 1996. This reflects a decline in the proportion of people who live in secondary and minor urban areas, rural centres and rural areas. The proportion of the population usually living in secondary urban areas has decreased from 6.5 percent in 1996 to 6.3 percent in 2001. In 1996, 8.7 percent of the population was usually living in a minor urban area and this has declined to 8.4 percent of the population in 2001. Although 14.5 percent of the population lived in rural centres or rural areas in 1996, only 14.3 percent live there now.
Dwellings
The number of occupied dwellings in New Zealand on census night was 1,368,204. This was an increase of 84,210 or 6.6 percent compared with the 1996 Census. This increase compares with an 8.3 percent rise between the 1991 and 1996 Censuses. In addition, there were 147,435 unoccupied dwellings, compared with the 1996 figure of 113,388.
Further information about the 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings can be found at http://www.stats.govt.nz/census.htm?open.
Footnote
census.pdf (438Kb)
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2001 Census of Population and Dwellings
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