B2.3.1 General

Total population is about 3.5 million.  Over 70% of the population are in
the North Island, largest centre is Auckland (over 1 million), capital is
Wellington.

1975         3,071,000
1988         3,343,000
1990         3,402,000
1992 (July)  3,347,369
1994         3,541,000
2000         3,714,000
Population Growth       0.88 %
Population Density        32/sq mi
Population Doubling Time  79 years

Net migration rate:  -2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

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B2.3.2  Major Cities
                            Latitude,    Long Dist
              Population    Longitude      Code

Wellington     360,000    41.17S,174.47E     4
Auckland       890,000    36.52S,174.46E     9
Christchurch   335,000    43.33S,172.40E     3
Hamilton       100,000    37.46S,175.18E     7
Dunedin        110,000    45.52S,170.30E     3

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B2.3.3  Age Distribution

Age range       Male %      Female %
    0-9          8.0          7.6
   10-19         9.4          9.0
   20-29         8.6          8.4
   30-39         7.4          7.5
   40-49         5.4          5.3
   50-59         4.5          4.4
   60-69         3.6          4.1
   70+           2.7          4.1
       Total    49.6         50.4

Literacy Rate    99 %
Urbanization   83.5 %

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B2.3.4  Ethnicity

Data from the "1991 Census of Population and Dwellings" publications.

                      Ethnic Group,
         for Population Resident in New Zealand

Single Ethnic Group
                                   Total     Percent
European (1)                     2,658,738     79.5
NZ Maori                           323,493      9.7
Samoan                              68,565      2.0
Cook Island Maori                   26,925      0.8
Tongan                              18,264      0.5
Niuean                               9,429      0.3
Tokelauan                            2,802      0.1
Fijian                               2,760      0.1
Other Pacific                        1,413       --
Total, Single Pacific Group        130,158      3.9
Chinese                             37,689      1.1
Indian                              26,979      0.8
Other Single Ethnic Groups (2)      25,926      0.8
Total, Single Ethnic Groups      3,202,980     95.7

(1) May include combinations of European groups e.g. NZ European and/or
British and/or Dutch etc.
(2) All Groups not included above.  May include combinations of Other
Groups, eg. Japanese and/or Korean and/or Middle Eastern Groups.

There is a very good (not *too* technical) book on Maori Demography for
further reference of those interested:
  Pool, Ian.  1991.  _Te Iwi Maori:  A New Zealand Population Past, Present
    and Projected_ Auckland University Press (dist.  by Oxford Univ.  Press
    outside of New Zealand)

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B2.3.5  Official Languages

English, Maori.  Pacific Island and Asian languages may be heard in cities.

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B2.3.6  Religions

A Massey research project reveals that 28 percent of Kiwis pray, at
frequencies varying between several times a day, to weekly.  About 21
percent of the population are regular churchgoers.  The radio report on the
topic said that over 60 percent of NZers believe in a God.

And/or...

            1991 census: (%)
Anglican        22.1
Presbyterian    16.3
Catholic        15.0
Methodist        4.2
Agnostic         0.1
Atheist         <0.05
No religion     20.1
Object to state  7.6

In 1981 (and I presume earlier censuses) there was simply a blank where you
wrote your religion.  In 1986 and 1991, there were half a dozen or so boxes
you could tick, including "No Religion" and "Other" (with a blank space to
fill in if you ticked "Other").  In 1981, Agnostic and Atheist accounted
for 0.8 and 0.7%, so clearly many people who would write "Atheist" when
confronted with a blank space would tick "No Religion" when such a box was
an option.  (I did this myself in 1986.)

In 1986, "No Religion" got 16.7%, so this is growing fast, and is the
second largest group.  (It was less than 1% in the 1950s.)