View source for Demographics of New Zealand

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox place demographics
 | place              = [[New Zealand]]
 | image              = File:New Zealand 2023 Population Pyramid.svg
 | image_size         =350
 | caption            = [[Population pyramid]] of [[New Zealand]] in 2023

<!-- main demographics -->
 | size_of_population = {{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y|}}
 | density            = {{convert|{{#expr:{{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}/268021|1}}}}|/km2|1|abbr=on}}
 | growth             = 2.1% (Stats NZ projection)<ref name="NPE">{{cite web |title= National Population Estimates: At 30 June 2016 |url= http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/NationalPopulationEstimates_HOTPAt30Jun16.aspx |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |date= 12 August 2016 |access-date= 2 April 2017}}</ref>
 | birth              = 11.4 per 1000 pop. (2022)
 | death              = 5.5 per 1000 pop. (2022)
 | life               = 
 | life_male          = 80.3 years<ref name="Life expectancy"/>
 | life_female        = 83.7 years<ref name="Life expectancy"/>
 | fertility          = 1.56 births per woman (2023)
 | infant_mortality   = 3.53 per 1000 live births (2023)
 | net_migration      = 14.72 per 1000 pop.<ref name="NPE" />

<!-- age structure -->
 | age_0–14_years     = 19.6%<ref name="NPE" />
 | age_15–64_years    = 65.5%<ref name="NPE" />
 | age_65_years       = 14.9%<ref name="NPE" />

<!-- sex ratio -->
 | total_mf_ratio     = 0.97 males/female<ref name="NPE" />
 | sr_at_birth        = 
 | sr_under_15        = 1.05 males/female<ref name="NPE" />
 | sr_15–64_years     = 0.97 males/female<ref name="NPE" />
 | sr_65_years_over   = 0.87 males/female<ref name="NPE" />

<!-- nationality -->
 | nation             = [[New Zealanders|New Zealander]]
 | major_ethnic       = [[European New Zealanders|European]] 67.8%<ref name="2023 results">{{cite web | url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/518124/census-2023-data-what-the-first-results-reveal | title=Census 2023 data: What the first results reveal | website=[[Radio New Zealand]] | date=29 May 2024 }}</ref>
 | minor_ethnic       = {{ubl | [[Māori people|Māori]] 17.8% | [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]] 17.3% | [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pacific peoples]] 8.9%}}{{refn|name=ethnicity|group=n}}<ref name="2018 results">{{cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/2018-Census-totals-by-topic/Download-data/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights.xlsx|title= 2018 Census totals by topic|publisher=[[Statistics New Zealand]]|format=[[Microsoft Excel]] spreadsheet|access-date=29 October 2019}}</ref>
<!-- language -->
 | spoken             = {{ubl|[[English language|English]] 95.37%|[[Sinitic_languages|Chinese (all variants)]] 4.42%|[[Māori language|Te Reo Māori (all dialects)]] 3.96%|[[Samoan language|Gagana Sāmoa]] 2.17%|[[Hindi]] 1.48%|[[French language|French]] 1.17%|[[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] 0.97%|[[New Zealand Sign Language]] 0.5%}}<ref name="SpokenLanguage"/>
|official={{ubl
|[[English language|English]]
|[[Māori language|Māori]]
|[[New Zealand Sign Language]]
}}|population_estimate_year=2023 ([[Statistics New Zealand|Stats NZ]] estimate)}}
<!--Unless otherwise indicated, all information is taken from the 2013 Census. References to sources for the data in the lead are provided in the main body of the article.-->

The demographics of [[New Zealand]] encompass the gender, ethnic, religious, geographic, and economic backgrounds of the 5.3 million<ref>{{cite web |title=National population estimates: At 31 March 2024 (2018-base) |date=15 May 2024 |work=Stats NZ |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-population-estimates-at-31-march-2024/ |accessdate=15 August 2024}}</ref> people living in New Zealand. [[New Zealanders]] predominantly live in urban areas on the [[North Island]]. The five largest cities are [[Auckland]], [[Wellington]], [[Christchurch]], [[Hamilton, New Zealand|Hamilton]], and [[Tauranga]]. Few New Zealanders live on New Zealand's smaller islands. [[Waiheke Island]] (near Auckland) is easily the most populated smaller island with {{NZ population data 2018|Waiheke local board area|y}} residents, while [[Great Barrier Island]], the [[Chatham Islands|Chatham and Pitt Island]]s, and [[Stewart Island]] each have populations below 1,000. New Zealand is [[Realm of New Zealand|part of a realm]] and most people born in the realm's external territories of [[Tokelau]], the [[Ross Dependency]], the [[Cook Islands]] and [[Niue]] are entitled to New Zealand passports.

As of the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], the majority of New Zealand's population is of [[European New Zealanders|European descent]] (70 percent; often referred to as [[Pākehā]]), with the indigenous [[Māori people|Māori]] being the largest minority (16.5 percent), followed by [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]s (15.3 percent), and non-Māori [[Pacific Islander]]s known collectively as [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]] (9.0 percent).<ref name="2018 results"/> This is reflected in [[Immigration to New Zealand|immigration]], with most new migrants coming from Britain and Ireland, although the numbers from Asia in particular are increasing. Auckland is the most ethnically diverse region in New Zealand with 53.5 percent identifying as Europeans, 28.2 percent as Asian, 11.5 percent as Māori, 15.5 percent as Pasifika, and 2.3 percent as Middle Eastern, Latin American or African (MELAA).<ref name="2018census">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2018-census-population-and-dwelling-counts|title=2018 Census population and dwelling counts {{!}} Stats NZ|website=www.stats.govt.nz|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref> New Zealand is considered by some to be unique among Western countries for its high levels of [[Interracial marriage|ethnic intermarriage]],<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=More Kiwis saying 'I do' to intermarriage |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/superdiversity-more-kiwis-saying-i-do-to-intermarriage/URMOW7D7V2TXANDAMJV5QF4GGQ/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=20 October 2015 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> which has historically been viewed with tolerance.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/matters-of-the-heart-a-history-of-interracial-marriage-in-new-zealand/ |title=Matters of the Heart: A History of Interracial Marriage in New Zealand |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/intermarriage/page-2|title=Intermarriage in colonial society – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/> According to a 2006 study, Māori have on average roughly 43% European ancestry, although the notion of being "[[Multiracial people|mixed-race]]" is uncommon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Research shows Maori at least 43 per cent pakeha |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/research-shows-maori-at-least-43-per-cent-pakeha/HLSU7VKBRO4XGGGKWSEU6VAGRY/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=15 October 2006 |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268285485_Ethnic_Intermarriage_in_New_Zealand"One might argue that a Maori  and Maori-European  union  is endogamous  –  that  is  within-group  -  mostly because of  the historical  New Zealand convention  of seeing  “half-castes” more as Maori  than  as  European.  Because  of  this  complexity  a  clear  definition  of  ethnic intermarriage is not  offered."</ref>

[[New Zealand English|English]], [[Māori language|Māori]], and [[New Zealand Sign Language]] are the official languages, with English being predominant and understood by the vast majority of Māori speakers. Significant minorities speak [[Sinitic_languages|Chinese]], [[Samoan language|Samoan]], [[Hindi]], [[French language|French]], and [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]. New Zealand English is mostly [[non-rhotic]], but has distinct [[Rhoticity in English|rhotic]] dialects as well. Rhoticity is widespread among [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]] and [[Māori people|Māori]] and is becoming increasingly common across the upper [[North Island]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The New Zealand accent explained|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125209768/the-new-zealand-accent-explained |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref> The closest English dialect to non-rhotic New Zealand English is Australian English, but they have several key distinctions, such as the New Zealand [[Central vowel|centralisation]] of the short '''i'''. The Māori language has undergone a process of revitalisation and is spoken by 4&nbsp;percent of the population. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99&nbsp;percent and over half of the population aged 15–29 hold a tertiary qualification. In the adult population 14.2 percent have a [[bachelor's degree]] or higher, 30.4 percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4 percent have no formal qualification. As at the 2018 census, 37&nbsp;percent of the population identify as [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christians]], with [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhism]] being the largest minority religions; almost half of the population (48.5 percent) is [[irreligion in New Zealand|irreligious]].<ref name="2018 results"/>

==Terminology==
While the [[demonym]] for a New Zealand citizen is [[New Zealander]], the informal "[[Kiwi (nickname)|Kiwi]]" is commonly used both internationally<ref>{{cite journal | last = Dalby | first = Simon | author-link = Simon Dalby (academic) | title = The 'Kiwi disease': geopolitical discourse in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the South Pacific | journal = [[Political Geography (journal)|Political Geography]] | volume = 12 | issue = 5 | pages = 437–456 | doi = 10.1016/0962-6298(93)90012-V | date = September 1993 }}</ref> and by locals.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=New Zealand Population Review|volume=30|issue=1&2|pages=5–22|year=2004|title=Seeking an Ethnic Identity: Is "New Zealander" a Valid Ethnic Category?|first=Paul|last=Callister|url=http://panz.rsnz.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nzpr-vol-30-1and-2_callister.pdf}}</ref> The name derives from the [[Kiwi (bird)|kiwi]], a native [[flightless bird]], which is the [[national symbol]] of New Zealand. The Māori loanword "[[Pākehā]]" usually refers to [[European New Zealanders|New Zealanders of European descent]], although some reject this appellation,<ref>{{Cite news| first = Tapu | last = Misa | url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10371473| title = Ethnic Census status tells the whole truth | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date = 8 March 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Draft Report of a Review of the Official Ethnicity Statistical Standard: Proposals to Address the 'New Zealander' Response Issue|date=April 2009|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Methods%20and%20Services/Review%20ethnicity/draft-reportof-reviewo-official-ethnicity-standard.ashx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=18 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113152012/http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Methods%20and%20Services/Review%20ethnicity/draft-reportof-reviewo-official-ethnicity-standard.ashx|archive-date=13 November 2009}}</ref> and some Māori use it to refer to all non-Polynesian New Zealanders.<ref name="Pākehā">{{cite web| url=http://maorinews.com/writings/papers/other/pakeha.htm |title='Pākehā', Its Origin and Meaning |last=Ranford |first=Jodie |access-date=20 February 2008 |publisher=Māori News}}</ref> Most people born in New Zealand or one of the [[Realm of New Zealand|realm's]] external territories ([[Tokelau]], the [[Ross Dependency]], the [[Cook Islands]] and [[Niue]]) before 2006 are [[New Zealand nationality law|New Zealand citizens]]. Further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards.{{Refn|A person born on or after 1 January 2006 acquires New Zealand citizenship at birth only if at least one parent is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. People born on or before 31 December 2005 acquired citizenship at birth (''[[jus soli]]'').<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govt.nz/browse/passports-citizenship-and-identity/nz-citizenship/proof-of-citizenship/check-if-you-are-a-citizen/ |title=Check if you are a citizen |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>|group=n}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dia.govt.nz/Services-Citizenship-Am-I-a-New-Zealand-Citizen?OpenDocument |title=Am I a New Zealand Citizen? |publisher=New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>

==Population size and distribution==
[[File:Change in population by regions in New Zealand based on 2006 - 2013 censuses.gif|thumb|Change in population by region in New Zealand based on the 2006–2013 censuses|454x454px]]
The [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]] enumerated a resident population of 4,699,755 – a 10.8&nbsp;percent increase over the population recorded in the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]].<ref name="2018 results"/> As of {{currentmonth}} {{currentyear}}, the total population has risen to an {{formatnum:{{data New Zealand|poptoday}}}} (estimated by extrapolation).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/population_clock.aspx|title=Population clock|publisher=[[Statistics New Zealand]]|access-date=14 April 2016}} The population estimate shown is automatically calculated daily at 00:00 UTC and is based on data obtained from the population clock on the date shown in the citation.</ref> The population is increasing at a rate of 1.4–2.0 percent per year.<ref>{{cite press release |title=National population projections: 2016(base)–2068 |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/national-population-projections-2016base2068 |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=20 October 2018 |language=en-NZ |date=18 October 2016}}</ref> In May 2020, [[Statistics New Zealand]] reported that New Zealand's population had climbed above 5 million people in March 2020;<ref>{{cite web|title=New Zealand population tops 5 million|date=18 May 2020 |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121544285/new-zealand-population-tops-5-million|publisher=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> in September 2020, this was revised six months earlier to September 2019 when population estimates were rebased to the 2018 census.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Zealand's population nears 5.1 million|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/new-zealands-population-nears-5-1-million|access-date=2020-09-24|website=www.stats.govt.nz}}</ref>

The median child birthing age was 30 and the [[total fertility rate]] is 2.1&nbsp;births per woman in 2010. In Māori populations the median age is 26 and fertility rate 2.8.<ref name = "December 2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/births/BirthsAndDeaths_HOTPYeDec10.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|title=Births and Deaths: Year ended December 2010|access-date=13 April 2011}}</ref> In 2010 the [[Age adjustment|age-standardised]] [[mortality rate]] was 3.8&nbsp;deaths per 1000 (down from 4.8 in 2000) and the [[infant mortality rate]] for the total population was 5.1&nbsp;deaths per 1000 live births.<ref name = "December 2010"/> The [[life expectancy]] of a New Zealand child born in 2021-23 was 83.7&nbsp;years for females, and 80.3&nbsp;years for males,<ref name="Life expectancy">{{cite web|title=Life expectancy|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/births-and-deaths-year-ended-december-2023-including-abridged-period-life-table/|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=2 March 2024|date=2024}}</ref> which is [[List of countries by life expectancy|among the highest in the world]]. Life expectancy at birth is forecast to increase from 80&nbsp;years to 85&nbsp;years in 2050 and infant mortality is expected to decline.<ref name=UNtwspop>{{cite web | url=https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf | title=World Population Prospects| version=2008 revision | publisher=United Nations |author=Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division |year=2009| access-date=29 August 2009| author-link=United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407050247/http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf |archive-date=7 April 2009 }}</ref> In 2050 the median age is forecast to rise from 36&nbsp;years to 43&nbsp;years and the percentage of people 60&nbsp;years of age and older rising from 18&nbsp;percent to 29&nbsp;percent.<ref name=UNtwspop/>{{refn|By 2036 the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 77 percent over 2016. One in 4.5 will be aged 65 and over.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our ageing population - Super Seniors |url=http://www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz/about-superseniors/media/key-statistics.html |publisher=New Zealand Ministry of Social Development |access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref>|group=n}} During early migration in 1858, New Zealand had 131 males for every 100 females, but following changes in migration patterns and the modern longevity advantage of women, females came to outnumber males in 1971.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sex ratios |url=http://www.population.govt.nz/resource-pages/sex-ratios.aspx |publisher=Population Statistics Unit, Statistics New Zealand Statistics House |access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406225411/http://www.population.govt.nz/resource-pages/sex-ratios.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 2012 there are 0.99 males per female, with males dominating under 15 years and females dominating in the 65 years or older range.<ref name=cia>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003045/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2018.html Sex Ratio]". '' The World Factbook''. CIA. Retrieved 13 April 2011.</ref>

{{Chart|definition=New Zealand Total Population.chart|data=New Zealand Total Population.tab|Width=500}}
{{Chart|definition=New Zealand Population Change.chart|data=New Zealand Population Change.tab|Width=550}}
{{Chart|definition=New Zealand TFR.chart|data=New Zealand TFR.tab|Width=550}}
=== Age structure ===

{{Hidden begin|title=Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2021) (Provisional) (Because of rounding, totals are not in all cases the sum of the respective components.): <ref>{{Cite web |title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=unstats.un.org}}</ref>|titlestyle=background:#EEBC35;}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age Group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-

| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 2 542 600
| align="right" | 2 580 000
| align="right" | 5 122 600
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 156 710
| align="right" | 148 800
| align="right" | 305 510
| align="right" | 5.96
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 167 260
| align="right" | 158 310
| align="right" | 325 570
| align="right" | 6.36
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 173 620
| align="right" | 163 920
| align="right" | 337 540
| align="right" | 6.59
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 161 330
| align="right" | 153 550
| align="right" | 314 880
| align="right" | 6.15
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 172 020
| align="right" | 161 240
| align="right" | 333 260
| align="right" | 6.51
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 190 640
| align="right" | 181 390
| align="right" | 372 030
| align="right" | 7.26
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 191 640
| align="right" | 192 470
| align="right" | 384 110
| align="right" | 7.50
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 168 840
| align="right" | 172 260
| align="right" | 341 110
| align="right" | 6.66
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 154 820
| align="right" | 157 780
| align="right" | 312 600
| align="right" | 6.10
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 158 830
| align="right" | 164 650
| align="right" | 323 490
| align="right" | 6.31
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 161 590
| align="right" | 169 610
| align="right" | 331 200
| align="right" | 6.47
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 157 610
| align="right" | 166 540
| align="right" | 324 150
| align="right" | 6.33
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 144 220
| align="right" | 153 870
| align="right" | 298 090
| align="right" | 5.82
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 122 810
| align="right" | 130 780
| align="right" | 253 590
| align="right" | 4.95
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 106 650
| align="right" | 112 880
| align="right" | 219 540
| align="right" | 4.29
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 71 690
| align="right" | 79 510
| align="right" | 151 200
| align="right" | 2.95
|-
| align="right" | 80-84
| align="right" | 46 770
| align="right" | 56 990
| align="right" | 103 760
| align="right" | 2.03
|-
| align="right" | 85-89
| align="right" | 23 540
| align="right" | 32 880
| align="right" | 56 420
| align="right" | 1.10
|-
| align="right" | 90+
| align="right" | 12 010
| align="right" | 22 570
| align="right" | 34 580
| align="right" | 0.68
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 497 590
| align="right" | 471 030
| align="right" | 968 620
| align="right" | 18.91
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 1 661 540
| align="right" | 1 673 360
| align="right" | 3 334 900
| align="right" | 65.10
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 383 470
| align="right" | 435 610
| align="right" | 819 080
| align="right" | 15.99
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

[[File:New Zealand population pyramid overtime from 1950 to 2020.gif|thumb|Population pyramid of New Zealand from 1950 to 2020]]

The age structure of New Zealand is getting increasingly older. Due to undergoing the demographic transition from a 'pre-industrial' age structure to a 'post-industrial' age structure, the country has a sub-replacement fertility rate which is consequently leading to an older population and more evenly balanced population pyramid.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ageing of the New Zealand Population, 1881-2051 (WP 03/27) |url=https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/wp/ageing-new-zealand-population-1881-2051-wp-03-27-html |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.treasury.govt.nz |date=September 2003 |language=en}}</ref>

The average age of the citizen has gone from 25.8 years old in 1965 to 38 in 2020 and is projected to rise to 43.7 years old in 2050.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Zealand - average age of the population 1950-2050 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/436388/average-age-of-the-population-in-new-zealand/ |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> The population of 90 year olds is also expected to rise dramatically, in the 1930s there were approximately 1,000 90+ year olds, in 2016 the number had risen to 29,000, in 2030 it is expected to exceed 50,000 and by the 2060s it is to rise above 180,000 people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interactive population pyramid for New Zealand {{!}} Stats NZ |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/interactive-population-pyramid-for-new-zealand |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.stats.govt.nz}}</ref>

===Population density===
{{See also|List of cities in New Zealand}}
[[File:2023 NZ Census Population Density.png|thumb|right|Population density as of the 2023 census
{{hidden|Legend|
{{legend|#1a9850|Fewer than 1 person per square km}}
{{legend|#4eb05c|1 person per square km and above}}
{{legend|#aad86d|10 people per square km and above}}
{{legend|#fbd682|250 people per square km and above}}
{{legend|#ee5536|1000 people per square km and above}}
{{legend|#a30302|4000 people per square km and above}}
}}]]

New Zealand's [[population density]] is relatively low, at {{convert|{{#expr:{{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y|}}|R}}/268021|1}}}}|/km2|1|abbr=off}} {{NZ population data 2018||y|showtitle|showref|(| estimate).}} The vast majority of the population live on the main [[North Island|North]] and [[South Island]]s, with New Zealand's major inhabited smaller islands being [[Waiheke Island]] ({{NZ population data 2018|Waiheke local board area|y|}}), the [[Chatham Islands|Chatham and Pitt Islands]]<!--The most populous islands in the Chatham Islands area--> ({{NZ population data 2018|Chatham Islands territory|y|}}), and [[Stewart Island]] (381).<ref name="NZ_population_data_2018"/> Over three-quarters of the population ({{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|North Island regions|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%) live in the North Island, with one-third of the total population ({{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Auckland region|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%) living in the [[Auckland Region]]. Most Māori live in the North Island (86.0&nbsp;percent), although less than a quarter (23.8&nbsp;percent) live in Auckland.<ref name="Māori QuickStats"/>

New Zealand is a predominantly urban country, with {{Rnd|({{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Major urban area|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Large urban area|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Medium urban area|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Small urban area|y}}|R}})/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}&nbsp;percent of the population living in an [[urban area]]. About {{Rnd|({{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Major urban area|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Large urban area|y}}|R}})/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}&nbsp;percent of the population live in the 20 main urban areas (population of 30,000 or more) and {{Rnd|({{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Auckland|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Wellington|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Christchurch|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Hamilton|y}}|R}})/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}&nbsp;percent live in the four largest cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Hamilton.<ref name="NZ_population_data_2018" />

Approximately 14&nbsp;percent of the population live in four different categories of [[rural area]]s as defined by [[Statistics New Zealand]]. About 18&nbsp;percent of the rural population live in areas that have a high urban influence (roughly 12.9 people per square kilometre), many working in the main urban area. Rural areas with moderate urban influence and a population density of about 6.5&nbsp;people per square kilometre account for 26&nbsp;percent of the rural population. Areas with low urban influence where the majority of the residents work in the rural area house approximately 42&nbsp;percent of the rural population. Remote rural areas with a density of less than 1 person per square kilometre account for about 14&nbsp;percent of the rural population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentPage____35807.aspx|title=Appendix 2: Rural Area Population Statistics|publisher=Ministry of Economic Development|access-date=12 April 2011}}</ref>

Before local government reforms in the late 1980s, a [[List of former territorial authorities in New Zealand#Borough councils|borough council]] with more than 20,000 people could be [[city status|proclaimed a city]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|editor-last1=McLintock|editor-first1=A. H.|editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock|title=Borough and City Status|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/towns-and-cities-growth-of/page-3|year=2009|orig-year=1966|encyclopedia=[[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]]|access-date=19 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Kate|title=Is Nelson really a city?|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/10313884/Is-Nelson-really-a-city|access-date=19 August 2017|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=28 July 2014}}</ref> The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so there was little difference between the urban area and the local government area. In 1989, all councils were consolidated into [[regions of New Zealand|regional councils]] (top tier) and [[territorial authorities]] (second tier) which cover a much wider area and population than the old city councils.<ref name = "Subnat Pop Ests">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Methods%20and%20Services/Tables/Subnational%20population%20estimates/subpopest2001-10.ashx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610051916/http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Methods%20and%20Services/Tables/Subnational%20population%20estimates/subpopest2001-10.ashx|archive-date=10 June 2011|title=Subnational population estimates at 30 June 2010 (boundaries at 1 November 2010) |date=26 October 2010|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=2 April 2011}}</ref> Today a territorial authority must have a predominantly urban population of at least 50,000 before it can be officially recognised as a city.<ref>{{cite web|title=Local Government Act 2002 No 84 (as at 01 July 2017), Public Act 16 Cities|url=http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0084/latest/DLM4927110.html|publisher=New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office|access-date=18 August 2017|language=en-NZ}}</ref>

==Vital statistics==
===Vital statistics since 1883===
<ref>Data from 1921 to 2000 were taken from: {{cite web |title=Developed Countries Demography |url=http://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/data/online-databases/developed-countries-database/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719105718/https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/data/online-databases/developed-countries-database/ |archive-date=19 July 2018 |access-date=5 August 2018 |publisher=[[Institut national d'études démographiques]]}}<br />Population data from 2001 onwards were taken from: {{cite web |date=2018 |title=Table: Estimated Resident Population (Mean Quarter Ended) by Sex (1991+) (Qrtly-Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec) |url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/infoshare/SelectVariables.aspx?pxID=aca6946f-8e86-4bfc-b82b-6301d1740336 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020235013/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/infoshare/SelectVariables.aspx?pxID=aca6946f-8e86-4bfc-b82b-6301d1740336 |archive-date=20 October 2022 |access-date=5 August 2018 |publisher=Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa}}<br />Other data from 2001 onwards were taken from: {{cite web |date=18 February 2018 |title=Births and deaths: Year ended December 2017 |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/births-and-deaths-year-ended-december-2017 |access-date=5 August 2018 |publisher=Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK, 1920 |url=https://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1920/NZOYB_1920.html#idchapter_1_8687 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231207034459/https://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1920/NZOYB_1920.html |archive-date=2023-12-07 |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=www3.stats.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK, 1916 |url=https://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1916/NZOYB_1916.html#idsect1_1_19674}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK, 1921-22 |url=https://www3.stats.govt.nz/new_zealand_official_yearbooks/1921-22/nzoyb_1921-22.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL YEAR-BOOK, 1902 |url=https://www3.stats.govt.nz/new_zealand_official_yearbooks/1893/nzoyb_1893.html#id332F530 |access-date=June 11, 2025 |website=[[Stats NZ]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THE NEW ZEALAND OFFICIAL YEAR - BOOK 1893 |url=https://www3.stats.govt.nz/new_zealand_official_yearbooks/1893/nzoyb_1893.html|access-date=June 11, 2025 |website=[[Stats NZ]]}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|-
!
! Population<br/><ref group="n">For 1920–2000, population in the table means population on 1 January on the year.<br />For 1991 onwards, population December 31.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of New Zealand 1820-2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066999/population-new-zealand-historical/ |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural<br/>change
! Crude<br/>birth<br/>rate<br/>(per<br/>1,000)
! Crude death rate (per 1,000)
! Natural change (per 1,000)
! Crude Migration change (per 1,000)
! [[Total fertility rate]]<ref group="n">In fertility rates, 2.1 and above is a stable population and have been marked blue, 2 and below leads to an ageing population with the result that the population reduces.</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/children-born-per-woman?year=1800&country=NZL|title=Total Fertility Rate around the world over the last centuries|author=Max Roser|date=2014|work=[[Our World In Data]], [[Gapminder Foundation]]|access-date=29 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807185751/https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/children-born-per-woman?year=1800&country=NZL|archive-date=7 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|1883
|529,292
|19,202
|6,061
|13,141
|36.3
|11.5
|24.8
|
|style="color: blue" |4.86
|-
|1884
|552,590
|19,846
|5,740
|14,106
|35.9
|10.4
|25.5
|17.4
|style="color: blue" |4.81
|-
|1885
|573,362
|19,693
|6,081
|13,612
|34.3
|10.6
|23.7
|13.0
|style="color: blue" |4.60
|-
|1886
|582,117
|19,299
|6,135
|13,164
|33.2
|10.5
|22.6
| -7.7
|style="color: blue" |4.44
|-
|1887
|596,374
|19,135
|6,137
|12,998
|32.1
|10.3
|21.8
|2.2
|style="color: blue" |4.30
|-
|1888
|605,374
|18,902
|style="color: blue" |5,708
|13,194
|31.2
|9.4
|21.8
| -7.0
|style="color: blue" |4.18
|-
|1889
|612,716
|18,457
|5,784
|12,673
|30.1
|9.4
|20.7
| -8.8
|style="color: blue" |4.03
|-
|1890
|620,780
|18,278
|5,994
|12,284
|29.4
|9.7
|19.8
| -6.9
|style="color: blue" |3.94
|-
|1891
|629,783
|18,273
|6,518
|11,755
|29.0
|10.3
|18.7
| -4.4
|style="color: blue" |3.89
|-
|1892
|642,245
|style="color: red" |17,876
|6,459
|11,417
|27.8
|10.1
|17.8
|1.7
|style="color: blue" |3.73
|-
|1893
|661,349
|18,187
|6,767
|11,420
|27.5
|10.2
|17.3
|12.0
|style="color: blue" |3.68
|-
|1894
|679,196
|18,528
|6,918
|11,610
|27.3
|10.2
|17.1
|9.4
|style="color: blue" |3.66
|-
|1895
|692,417
|18,546
|6,863
|11,683
|26.8
|9.9
|16.9
|2.3
|style="color: blue" |3.59
|-
|1896
|706,846
|18,612
|6,432
|12,180
|26.3
|9.1
|17.2
|3.2
|style="color: blue" |3.53
|-
|1897
|721,069
|18,737
|6,595
|12,142
|26.0
|9.1
|16.8
|2.9
|style="color: blue" |3.48
|-
|1898
|736,260
|18,955
|7,244
|11,711
|25.7
|9.8
|15.9
|4.8
|style="color: blue" |3.45
|-
|1899
|749,984
|18,835
|7,680
|11,155
|25.1
|10.2
|14.9
|3.5
|style="color: blue" |3.37
|-
|1900
|763,594
|19,546
|7,200
|12,346
|25.6
|9.4
|16.2
|1.7
|style="color: blue" |3.43
|-
|1901
|816,000 
|20,491      
|7,634 
|12,857        
|25.1                         
|9.3                         
|15.8                       
|                                 50.7
| style="color:blue;" |3.54
|-
|1902
|852,000 
|20,655      
|8,375 
|12,280        
|24.2                         
|9.8                         
|14.4                       
|28.4                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.47
|-
|1903
|873,000 
|21,829      
|8,528 
|13,301        
|25.0                         
|9.7                         
|15.2                       
|10.2                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.57
|-
|1904
|896,000 
|22,766      
|8,087 
|14,679        
|25.4                         
|9.0                         
|16.4                       
|11.1                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.61
|-
|1905
|920,000 
|23,682      
|8,061 
|15,621        
|25.7                         
|8.7                         
|16.9                       
|10.4                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.65
|-
|1906
|944,000 
|24,252      
|8,339 
|15,913        
|25.7                         
|8.8                         
|16.8                       
|9.1                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.63
|-
|1907
|970,000 
|25,094      
|10,066 
|15,028        
|25.9                         
|10.3                         
|15.4                       
|10.7                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.66
|-
|1908
|996,000 
|25,940      
|9,043 
|16,897        
|26.0                         
|9.0                         
|16.9                       
|11.3                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.68
|-
|1909
|1,020,000 
|26,524      
|8,959 
|17,565        
|26.0                         
|8.7                         
|17.2                       
|7.1                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.66
|-
|1910
|1,040,000 
|25,984      
|9,639 
|16,345        
|24.9                         
|9.2                         
|15.7                       
|2.4                             
| style="color:blue;" |3.51
|-
|1911
|1,070,000
|26,354
|9,534
|16,820
|24.6
|8.9
|15.7
| 13.3
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1912
|1,090,000
|27,508
|9,214
|18,294
|25.2
|8.4
|16.7
|2.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.55
|-
|1913
|1,120,000
|27,935
|10,119
|17,816
|24.9
|9.0
|15.9
|10.7
| style="color:blue;" |3.50
|-
|1914
|1,140,000
|28,338
|10,148
|18,190
|24.9
|8.9
|15.9
|1.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1915
|1,150,000
|27,850
|9,965
|17,885
|24.2
|8.6
|15.5
|–7.2
| style="color:blue;" |3.39
|-
|1916
|1,150,000
|28,509
|10,596
|17,913
|24.8
|9.2
|15.5
|–15.6
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1917
|1,150,000
|28,290
|10,528
|17,762
|24.6
|9.1
|15.4
|–15.6
| style="color:blue;" |3.44
|-
|1918
|1,170,000
|25,860
|16,364
| style="color: red" |9,496
|22.1
|13.9
|8.12
|2.0
| style="color:blue;" |3.14
|-
|1919
|1,200,000
|24,483
|10,808
|13,675
|20.4
|9.0
|11.4
|17.5
| style="color:blue;" |2.87
|-
|1920
|1,240,000
|29,921
|12,109
|17,812
|24.1
|9.7
|14.3
|21.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.36
|-
|| 1921 || 1,270,000|| 29,623 ||11,474 || 18,149 || 23.3|| 9.0|| 14.3|| 9.4|| style="color:blue;" |3.08
|-
|| 1922 || 1,300,000|| 30,448 || 11,874 || 18,574 || 23.4|| 9.1|| 14.3|| 8.9|| style="color:blue;" |3.08
|-
|| 1923 || 1,330,000|| 29,148 || 12,239 || 16,909 || 21.9|| 9.2|| 12.7|| 10.0|| style="color:blue;" |2.96
|-
|| 1924 || 1,350,000|| 29,260 || 11,540 || 17,720 || 21.7|| 8.6|| 13.1|| 1.7|| style="color:blue;" |2.93
|-
|| 1925 || 1,380,000|| 29,869 || 11,844 || 18,025 || 21.9|| 8.7|| 13.2|| 8.8|| style="color:blue;" |2.90
|-
|| 1926 || 1,410,000|| 29,904 || 12,517 || 17,387 || 21.4|| 9.0|| 12.4|| 9.0|| style="color:blue;" |2.88
|-
|| 1927 || 1,429,700 || 29,278 || 12,600 || 16,678 || 20.3 || 8.8 || 11.6 || 2.9 || style="color:blue;" |2.79
|-
|| 1928 || 1,450,400 || 28,938 || 12,860 || 16,078 || 19.8 || 8.8 || 11.0 || 0.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.70
|-
|| 1929 || 1,467,400 || 28,859 || 13,220 || 15,639 || 19.5 || 9.0 || 10.6 || 2.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.64
|-
|| 1930 || 1,486,100 || 28,822 || 13,145 || 15,677 || 19.3 || 8.8 || 10.5 || 3.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.60
|-
|| 1931 || 1,506,800 || 28,867 || 13,062 || 15,805 || 19.1 || 8.6 || 10.4 || 0.2 || style="color:blue;" |2.56
|-
|| 1932 || 1,522,800 || 27,535 || 12,875 || 14,660 || 18.0 || 8.4 || 9.6 || -1.8 || style="color:blue;" |2.38
|-
|| 1933 || 1,534,700 || 27,204 || 12,862 || 14,342 || 17.7 || 8.3 || 9.3 || -1.2 || style="color:blue;" |2.31
|-
|| 1934 || 1,547,100 || 27,220 || 13,810 || 13,410 || 17.5 || 8.9 || 8.6 || -1.3 || style="color:blue;" |2.29
|-
|| 1935 || 1,558,400 ||27,150 || 13,664 || 13,486 || 17.4 || 8.7 || 8.6 || -1.3 || style="color:blue;" |2.25
|-
|| 1936 || 1,569,700 || 28,395 || 14,658 || 13,737 || 18.0 || 9.3 || 8.7 || 0.8 || style="color:blue;" |2.30
|-
|| 1937 || 1,584,600 || 29,896 || 15,215 || 14,681 || 18.8 || 9.6 || 9.2 || 1.7 || style="color:blue;" |2.39
|-
|| 1938 || 1,601,800 || 30,845 || 16,874 || 13,971 || 19.2 || 10.5 || 8.7 || 1.6 || style="color:blue;" |2.44
|-
|| 1939 || 1,618,300 || 32,872 || 15,933 || 16,939 || 20.2 || 9.8 || 10.4 || 4.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.56
|-
|| 1940 || 1,641,600 || 36,945 || 15,875 || 21,070 || 22.6 || 9.7 || 12.9 || -17.8 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.84
|-
|| 1941 || 1,633,600 || 39,170 || 17,047 || 22,123 || 24.0 || 10.4 || 13.6 || -15.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.93
|-
|| 1942 || 1,631,200 || 37,818 || 18,117 || 19,701 || 23.1 || style="color: red" | 11.1 || 12.1 || -8.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.87
|-
|| 1943 || 1,636,400 || 34,684 || 17,122 || 17,562 || 21.2 || 10.4 || 10.7 || -7.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.61
|-
|| 1944 || 1,642,000 || 38,037 || 17,049 || 20,988 || 22.9 || 10.3 || 12.7 || 8.2 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.85
|-
|| 1945 || 1,676,300 || 41,534 || 17,686 || 23,848 || 24.4 || 10.4 || 14.0 || 16.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.10
|-
|| 1946 || 1,727,800 || 47,524 || 17,720 || 29,804 || 27.1 || 10.1 || 17.0 || 13.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.45
|-
|| 1947 || 1,781,200 || 49,698 || 17,442 || 32,256 || style="color: blue" | 27.6 || 9.7 || style="color: blue" |17.9 || 2.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.63
|-
|| 1948 || 1,817,500 || 49,062 || 17,285 || 31,777 || 26.7 || 9.4 || 17.3 || 2.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.57
|-
|| 1949 || 1,853,900 || 48,841 || 17,578 || 31,263 || 26.1 || 9.4 || 16.7 || 3.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.53
|-
|| 1950 || 1,892,100 || 49,331 || 18,084 || 31,247 || 25.8 || 9.5 || 16.4 || 2.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.55
|-
|| 1951 || 1,927,700 || 49,806 || 18,836 || 30,970 || 25.6 || 9.7 || 15.9 || 6.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.60
|-
|| 1952 || 1,970,500 || 51,846 || 18,896 || 32,950 || 26.0 || 9.5 || 16.5 || 11.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.67
|-
|| 1953 || 2,024,600 || 51,888 || 18,354 || 33,534 || 25.3 || 9.0 || 16.4 || 8.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.65
|-
|| 1954 || 2,074,700 || 54,055 || 18,876 || 35,179 || 25.8 || 9.0 || 16.8 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.78
|-
|| 1955 || 2,118,400 || 55,596 || 19,225 || 36,371 || 26.0 || 9.0 || 17.0 || 4.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.88
|-
|| 1956 || 2,164,800 || 56,531 || 19,696 || 36,835 || 25.8 || 9.0 || 16.8 || 3.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.98
|-
|| 1957 || 2,209,200 || 58,425 || 20,862 || 37,563 || 26.1 || 9.3 || 16.8 || 7.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.03
|-
|| 1958 || 2,262,800 || 60,556 || 20,301 || 40,255 || 26.5 || 8.9 || 17.6 || 5.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.11
|-
|| 1959 || 2,316,000 || 61,798 || 21,128 || 40,670 || 26.4 || 9.0 || 17.4 || 1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.18
|-
|| 1960 || 2,359,700 || 62,779 || 20,892 || 41,887 || 26.4 || 8.8 || 17.6 || 1.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.24
|-
|| 1961 || 2,403,600 || style="color:blue;" |65,390 || 21,782 || style="color: blue" | 43,608 || 26.9 || 9.0 || 17.9 || 6.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.31
|-
|| 1962 || 2,461,300 || 65,014 || 22,081 || 42,933 || 26.1 || 8.9 || 17.3 || 4.8 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.19
|-
|| 1963 || 2,515,800 || 64,527 || 22,416 || 42,111 || 25.4 || 8.8 || 16.6 || 3.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.05
|-
|| 1964 || 2,566,900 || 62,302 || 22,861 || 39,441 || 24.0 || 8.8 || 15.2 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.80
|-
|| 1965 || 2,617,000 || 60,047 || 22,976 || 37,071 || 22.7 || 8.7 || 14.0 || 3.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.54
|-
|| 1966 || 2,663,800 || 60,003 || 23,778 || 36,225 || 22.3 || 8.8 || 13.5 ||4,3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.41
|-
|| 1967 || 2,711,300 || 61,022 || 23,007 || 38,015 || 22.4 || 8.4 || 13.9 || -1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.35
|-
|| 1968 || 2,745,000 || 62,112 || 24,464 || 37,648 || 22.5 || 8.9 || 13.6 || -3.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.34
|-
|| 1969 || 2,773,000 || 62,360 || 24,161 || 38,199 || 22.4 || 8.7 || 13.7 || -2.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.28
|-
|| 1970 || 2,804,000 || 62,050 || 24,840 || 37,210 || 21.9 || 8.8 || 13.2 || 4.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.17
|-
|| 1971 || 2,852,100 || 64,460 || 24,309 || 40,151 || 22.4 || 8.5 || 14.0 || 2.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.18
|-
|| 1972 || 2,898,500 || 63,215 || 24,801 || 38,414 || 21.6 || 8.5 || 13.1 || 8.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.00
|-
|| 1973 || 2,959,700 || 60,727 || 25,312 || 35,415 || 20.3 || 8.5 || 11.8 || 10.2 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.76
|-
|| 1974 || 3,024,900 || 59,336 || 25,261 || 34,075 || 19.4 || 8.3 || 11.1 || 11.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.58
|-
|| 1975 || 3,091,900 || 56,639 || 25,114 || 31,525 || 18.2 || 8.1 || 10.1 || 6.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.37
|-
|| 1976 || 3,143,700 || 55,105 || 25,457 || 29,648 || 17.5 || 8.1 || 9.4 || -3.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.27
|-
|| 1977 || 3,163,400 || 54,179 || 25,961 || 28,218 || 17.1 || 8.2 || 8.9 || -8.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.21
|-
|| 1978 || 3,166,400 || 51,029 || 24,669 || 26,360 || 16.1 || 7.8 || 8.3 || -8.7 ||2.07
|-
|| 1979 || 3,165,200 || 52,279 || 25,340 || 26,939 || 16.5 || 8.0 || 8.5 || -8.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.12
|-
|| 1980 || 3,163,900 || 50,542 || 26,676 || 23,866 || 15.9 || 8.4 || 7.5 || -3.5 ||2.03
|-
|| 1981 || 3,176,400 || 50,794 || 25,150 || 25,644 || 15.9 || 7.9 || 8.1 || -2.4 ||2.01
|-
|| 1982 || 3,194,500 || 49,938 || 25,532 || 24,406 || 15.6 || 8.0 || 7.6 || 2.5 ||1.95
|-
|| 1983 || 3,226,800 || 50,474 || 25,991 || 24,483 || 15.6 || 8.0 || 7.5 || 4.3 ||1.92
|-
|| 1984 || 3,264,800 || 51,636 || 25,378 || 26,258 || 15.7 || 7.7 || 8.0 || 0.6 ||1.93
|-
|| 1985 || 3,293,000 || 51,798 || 27,480 || 24,318 || 15.7 || 8.3 || 7.4 || -4.3 ||1.93
|-
|| 1986 || 3,303,100 || 52,824 || 27,045 || 25,779 || 16.0 || 8.2 || 7.8 || -4.7 ||1.96
|-
|| 1987 || 3,313,500 || 55,254 || 27,419 || 27,835 || 16.6 || 8.2 || 8.4 || 0.2 || 2.03
|-
|| 1988 || 3,342,100 || 57,546 || 27,408 || 30,138 || 17.2 || 8.2 || 9.0 || -8.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.10
|-
|| 1989 || 3,345,200 || 58,091 || 27,042 || 31,049 || 17.3 || 8.1 || 9.2 || -1.8|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.12
|-
|| 1990 || 3,369,800 || 60,153 || 26,531 || 33,622 || 17.7 || 7.8 || 9.9 || –2.7|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.18
|-
|| 1991 || 3,516,000 <ref>[https://www.stats.govt.nz/topics/population stats New Zealand, Download historical population summary figures, visited Oktober 1 2023]</ref>|| 59,911 || 26,389 || 33,522 || 17.3 || 7.6 || 9.7 || 32.7|| 2.09
|-
|| 1992 || 3,552,200 || 59,166 || 27,115 || 32,051 || 16.7 || 7.7 || 9.1 || 1.2|| 2.06
|-
|| 1993 || 3,597,800 || 58,782 || 27,100 || 31,682 || 16.4 || 7.6 || 8.9 || 3.9 || 2.04
|-
|| 1994 || 3,648,300 || 57,321 || 26,953 || 30,368 || 15.8 || 7.4 || 8.4 || 5.6 || 1.98
|-
|| 1995 || 3,706,700 || 57,671 || 27,813 || 29,858 || 15.7 || 7.6 || 8.1 || 7.9 || 1.98
|-
|| 1996 || 3,762,300 || 57,280 || 28,255 || 29,025 || 15.3 || 7.6 || 7.8 || 7.2 || 1.96
|-
|| 1997 || 3,802,700 || 57,604 || 27,471 || 30,133 || 15.2 || 7.3 || 8.0 || 2.7 || 1.96
|-
|| 1998 || 3,829,200 || 55,349 || 26,206 || 29,143 || 14.5 || 6.9 || 7.6 || -0.6 || 1.89
|-
|| 1999 || 3,851,100 || 57,053 || 28,122 || 28,931 || 14.9 || 7.3 || 7.5 || -1.8 || 1.97
|-
|| 2000 || 3,873,100 || 56,605 || 26,660 || 29,945 || 14.7 || 6.9 || 7.8 || -2.1 || 1.98
|-
|| 2001 || 3,916,200 || 55,800 || 27,825 || 27,972 || 14.36 || 7.16 || 7.20 || 3.9 || 1.97
|-
|| 2002 || 3,989,500 || 54,021 || 28,065 || 25,956 || 13.67 || 7.10 || 6.57 || 12.1 || 1.89
|-
|| 2003 || 4,061,600 || 56,136 || 28,011 || 28,125 || 13.94 || 6.95 || 6.99 || 11.1 || 1.93
|-
|| 2004 || 4,114,300 || 58,074 || 28,419 || 29,655 || 14.20 || 6.95 || 7.25 || 5.7 || 1.98
|-
|| 2005 || 4,161,000 || 57,744 || 27,033 || 30,711 || 13.96 || 6.54 || 7.42 || 3.9 || 1.97
|-
|| 2006 || 4,209,100 || 59,193 || 28,245 || 30,948 || 14.14 || 6.75 || 7.39 || 4.2 || 2.01
|-
|| 2007 || 4,245,700 || 64,044 || 28,521 || 35,520 || 15.15 || 6.75 || 8.40 || 0.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.18
|-
|| 2008 || 4,280,300 || 64,341 || 29,187 || 35,154 || 15.10 || 6.85 || 8.25 || -0.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.19
|-
|| 2009 || 4,332,100 || 62,541 || 28,965 || 33,579 || 14.53 || 6.73 || 7.80 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.13
|-
|| 2010 || 4,373,900 || 63,897 || 28,437 || 35,457 || 14.68 || 6.53 || 8.15 || 1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.17
|-
|| 2011 || 4,399,400 || 61,404 || 30,081 || 31,320 || 14.00 || 6.86 || 7.14 || -1.3 || 2.09
|-
|| 2012 || 4,425,900 || 61,179 || 30,099 || 31,080 || 13.87 || 6.82 || 7.05 || -1.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.10
|-
|| 2013 || 4,477,400 || 58,719 || 29,568 || 29,148 || 13.20 || 6.65 || 6.55 || 5.1 || 2.01
|-
|| 2014 || 4,564,400 || 57,243 || 31,062 || 26,181 || 12.68 || 6.88 || 5.80 || 13.6 || 1.92
|-
|| 2015 || 4,663,700 || 61,038 || 31,608 || 29,430 || 13.27 || 6.87 || 6.40 || 15.4 || 1.99
|-
|| 2016 || 4,767,600 || 59,430 || 31,179 || 28,251 || 12.65 || 6.64 || 6.01 || 16.3 || 1.87
|-
|| 2017 || 4,858,500 || 59,610 || 33,339 || 26,271 || 12.43 || 6.95 || 5.48 || 13.6 || 1.81
|-
|| 2018 || 4,941,200 || 58,020 || 33,222 || 24,798 || 11.76 || 6.73 || 5.03 || 12.0 || 1.71
|-
|| 2019 || 5,040,400 || 59,637 || 34,260 || 25,377 || 12.13 || 6.97 || 5.16 || 14.9 || 1.75
|-
|| 2020 || 5,103,700 || 57,573 || 32,613 || 24,960 ||11.33 || style="color: blue" | 6.40 || 4.93 || 7.6 ||1.61
|-
|| 2021 || 5,116,500 || 58,659 || 34,932 || 23,727 || 11.44 || 6.81 || 4.63  || -2.1 ||1.64
|-
|| 2022 || 5,157,100 || 58,887 ||style="text-align:right; color:red;" |  38,574 || 20,313 || 11.43 || 7.49 || 3.94  || 4.0 ||1.66
|-
|| 2023 || 5,305,600 || 56,955 || 37,884 || 19,071 || 11.04  || 7.35 || style="color: red" |3.70 || 28.8 || style="text-align:right; color:red;" |1.56
|-
|| 2024 || style="color: blue" | 5,356,700 || 58,341 ||37,722 || 20,619 || style="color: red" | 10.94 || 7.07 || 3.87|| 5.7||1.56 
|}

===Current vital statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
| '''January - September 2024'''
| 44,034
| 28,521
| +15,513
|-
| '''January - September 2025'''
| 43,086
| 28,182
| +14,904
|-
| '''Difference'''
| {{DecreaseNegative}} -948 (-2.15%)
| {{DecreasePositive}} -339 (-1.19%)
| {{Decrease}} -609
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | '''Source:'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Live births and deaths, New Zealand residents, overseas visitors and total registrations (Qrtly-Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec) |url=http://infoshare.stats.govt.nz/}}</ref>
|}

{{Image frame
 | caption = Total fertility rates since the first years of British colonisation
 | align=left
 | content = {{Graph:Chart
| width = 850
| height = 200
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 
| x = 1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019, 2020, 2021
| vAnnotatonsLine=1855,1860,1880,1900,1920,1940,1960,1980,2000,2019
| vAnnotatonsLabel=1855,1860,1880,1900,1920,1940,1960,1980,2000,2019
| hAnnotatonsLine=2.1
| hAnnotatonsLabel=2
| yAxisMin = 1
| yAxisMax = 6
| showSymbols = 
| y = 5.25,5.07,5.29,5.12,4.96,5.06,5.16,4.84,4.73,5.16,5.51,5.75,5.65,5.65,5.61,5.67,5.45,5.29,5.22,5.37,5.39,5.59,5.53,5.62,5.4,5.46,5.09,5,4.86,4.81,4.6,4.44,4.3,4.18,4.03,3.94,3.89,3.73,3.68,3.66,3.59,3.53,3.48,3.45,3.37,3.43,3.53,3.47,3.57,3.61,3.65,3.63,3.66,3.68,3.66,3.51,3.48,3.55,3.5,3.48,3.39,3.48,3.44,3.14,2.87,3.36,3.08,3.08,2.96,2.93,2.9,2.88,2.79,2.7,2.64,2.6,2.56,2.38,2.31,2.29,2.25,2.3,2.39,2.44,2.56,2.84,2.93,2.87,2.61,2.85,3.1,3.45,3.63,3.57,3.53,3.55,3.6,3.67,3.65,3.78,3.88,3.98,4.03,4.11,4.18,4.24,4.31,4.19,4.05,3.8,3.54,3.41,3.35,3.34,3.28,3.17,3.18,3,2.76,2.58,2.37,2.27,2.21,2.07,2.12,2.03,2.01,1.95,1.92,1.93,1.93,1.96,2.03,2.1,2.12,2.18,2.09,2.06,2.04,1.98,1.98,1.96,1.96,1.89,1.97,1.98,1.97,1.89,1.93,1.98,1.97,2.01,2.18,2.19,2.13,2.17,2.09,2.1,2.01,1.92,1.99,1.87,1.81,1.71,1.75, 1.61, 1.64
}}
}}{{clear}}
[[File:Life expectancy by WBG -New Zealand -diff.png|thumb|300px|[[Life expectancy at birth]] in New Zealand]]

===Total fertility rates by region===
Regional total fertility rates, 2023<ref>{{Cite web |last=[[Stats NZ]] |first= |date=15 May 2025 |title=Regional births and fertility rates, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2023 |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Births-and-deaths/Births-and-deaths-Year-ended-March-2025/Download-data/regional-fertility-rates-1996-2001-2006-2013-2018-2023.xlsx}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ 2023
!Region
!TFR
|-
|[[Gisborne District|Gisborne]]
|2.14
|-
|[[Northland Region|Northland]]
|2.14
|-
|[[Hawke's Bay]]
|1.95
|-
|[[Bay of Plenty Region|Bay of Plenty]]
|1.93
|-
|[[Taranaki]]
|1.92
|-
|[[Waikato]]
|1.89
|-
|[[Manawatū–Whanganui|Manawatū-Whanganui]]
|1.83
|-
|[[Southland Region|Southland]]
|1.75
|-
|[[West Coast Region|West Coast]]
|1.71
|-
|[[Marlborough District|Marlborough]]
|1.66
|-
|'''{{flag|New Zealand}}'''
|'''1.60'''
|-
|[[Tasman District|Tasman]]
|1.57
|-
|[[Canterbury Region|Canterbury]]
|1.53
|-
|[[Auckland region|Auckland]]
|1.51
|-
|{{flag|Nelson}}
|1.40
|-
|[[Wellington Region|Wellington]]
|1.36
|-
|{{flag|Otago}}
|1.25
|}

== Immigration ==
{{main|Immigration to New Zealand}}
[[File:Lion dancers at the Auckland lantern festival 2010.jpg|thumb|left|upright|New Zealand's fastest growing ethnic groups are Asians. Here, [[lion dance]]rs perform at the Auckland [[Lantern Festival]].|alt=Lion dancers wearing bright red and yellow costumes]]
{|class="wikitable sortable floatright" style="font-size:85%; text-align:right;"
|+Countries of birth of New Zealand residents, 2018 census<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights|title=2018 Census totals by topic – national highlights {{!}} Stats NZ|website=www.stats.govt.nz|access-date=2019-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923102431/https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights|archive-date=23 September 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! Country !! Number !! %
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|New Zealand}} || 3,370,122 || 72.60
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|England}}|| 210,915 || 4.54
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Mainland China}}|| 132,906 || 2.86
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|India}} || 117,348 || 2.53
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Australia}} || 75,696 || 1.63
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|South Africa}} || 71,382 || 1.54
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Philippines}}|| 67,632 || 1.46
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Fiji}}|| 62,310 || 1.34
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Samoa}}|| 55,512 || 1.20
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|South Korea}} || 30,975 || 0.67
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|United States}}|| 27,678 || 0.60
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Tonga}}|| 26,856 || 0.58
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{Flag|Scotland}}|| 26,136 ||0.56
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Malaysia}} || 19,860 || 0.43
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |{{flag|Netherlands}}|| 19,329 || 0.42
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |{{flag|Germany}}|| 16,605 || 0.36
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |{{flag|United Kingdom}} ({{Abbr|nfd|not further defined}}) || 14,601 || 0.31
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Sri Lanka}} || 14,349 || 0.31
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Japan}} || 13,107 || 0.28
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Canada}} || 11,928 || 0.26
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Cook Islands}} || 11,925 || 0.26
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Hong Kong}} || 10,992 || 0.24
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Ireland}} || 10,494 || 0.23
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Taiwan}} || 10,440 || 0.22
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | {{flag|Thailand}} || 10,251 || 0.22
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | ''Other countries'' || 202,548 || 4.36
|-
| colspan=3 style="text-align:left;"| {{notelist}}
|}

East Polynesians were the first people to reach New Zealand about 1280, followed by the early European explorers, notably [[James Cook]] in 1769 who explored New Zealand three times and mapped the coastline. Following the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 when the country became a British colony, immigrants were predominantly from Britain, Ireland and Australia. Due to restrictive policies, limitations were placed on non-European immigrants.<ref>{{cite book|title=Trends in international migration: continuous reporting system on migration|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]]|year=2000|pages= 276–278|author=Socidad Peruana de Medicina Intensiva (SOPEMI)}}</ref> During the [[gold rush]] period (1858–1880s) large number of young men came from California and [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] to New Zealand goldfields. Apart from British, there were Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Italians and many Chinese. The Chinese were sent special invitations by the Otago Chamber of Commerce in 1866. By 1873 they made up 40 percent of the diggers in Otago and 25 percent of the diggers in Westland.<ref>Diggers, Hatters and Whores.p 197-198. Eldred-Grigg. Random House. 2011.</ref> From 1900 there was also significant Dutch, Croatians,<ref name="Dalmatians">{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/dalmatians |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |title=Dalmatians |date=21 September 2007 |access-date=30 April 2010 |last=Walrond |first=Carl}}</ref> and Italian immigration together with indirect European immigration through Australia, North America, South America and South Africa.<ref name = "Peoples">{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-peoples |title=New Zealand Peoples |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref> Following [[World War II]], policies were relaxed and migrant diversity increased. In 2008–09, a target of 45,000 migrants was set by the New Zealand Immigration Service (plus a 5,000 tolerance).<ref name="2004Immigration">{{cite journal |title=Our immigration policy: rationality, stability, and politics: Stephen Hoadley discusses New Zealand's approach to the vexed question of immigration controls |journal=New Zealand International Review |url=https://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=7CB5F506C6654DAA1FDF7478F60948D1.inst1_1a?docId=5002096410 |year=2004 |access-date=20 February 2008 |last=Hoadley |first=Stephen |volume=29 |issue=2 |page=14 |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406225400/https://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=7CB5F506C6654DAA1FDF7478F60948D1.inst1_1a?docId=5002096410 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], 27.4&nbsp;percent of people counted were not born in New Zealand, up from 25.2&nbsp;percent in 2013. In 2018, over half (50.7 percent) of New Zealand's overseas-born population lived in the Auckland Region, including 70 percent of the country's Pacific Island-born population, 61.5 percent of its Asian-born population, and 52 percent of its Middle Eastern and African- born population.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Birthplace (detailed), for the census usually resident population count, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses (RC, TA, SA2, DHB)|url=http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE8279|access-date=2021-12-12|website=nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz}}</ref> In the late 2000s, Asia overtook the British Isles as the largest source of overseas migrants; in 2013 around 32 percent of overseas-born New Zealand residents were born in Asia (mainly China, India, the Philippines and South Korea) compared to 26 percent born in the UK and Ireland.<ref name="Overseas_pop">{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-culture-identity/birthplace.aspx |title=Birthplace and people born overseas |work=2013 Census QuickStats about culture and identity |publisher=[[Statistics New Zealand]] |access-date= 29 August 2014}}</ref> The number of fee-paying [[international student]]s increased sharply in the late 1990s, with more than 20,000 studying in public [[Tertiary education|tertiary institutions]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=International Education Journal|volume=5|issue=4|year=2004|title=International Students in New Zealand: Needs and Responses|first1=Andrew|last1=Butcher|first2=Terry|last2=McGrath|url=http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/iej/articles/v5n4/butcher/paper.pdf|access-date=30 April 2011|archive-date=9 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309072621/http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/iej/articles/v5n4/butcher/paper.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

To be eligible for entry under the [[Skilled Migrant Category (New Zealand)|skilled migrant plan]] applicants are assessed by an approved doctor for good health, provide a [[police certificate]] to prove good character and speak sufficient English. Migrants working in some occupations (mainly health) must be registered with the appropriate profession body before they can work within that area.<ref>{{cite web|title=Requirements for the Skilled Migrant Category|url=http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/caniapply/requirements/default.htm|publisher=Immigration New Zealand|access-date=22 April 2011}}</ref> Skilled migrants are assessed by [[Immigration New Zealand]] and applicants that they believe will contribute are issued with a residential visa, while those with potential are issued with a work to resident visa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/skilledmigrant/overview/default.htm|title=Overview of the Skilled Migrant Category|publisher=Immigration New Zealand|access-date=30 April 2011}}</ref> Under the work to residency process applicants are given a temporary work permit for two years and are then eligible to apply for residency.<ref name = "WorktoResident">{{cite web|url=http://www.visabureau.com/newzealand/work-visa.aspx|title=New Zealand Work to Residence Visa|publisher=New Zealand Visa Bureau|access-date=30 April 2011|archive-date=13 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713113619/http://www.visabureau.com/newzealand/work-visa.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Applicants with a job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer, cultural or sporting talent, looking for work where there has been a long-term skill shortage or to establish a business can apply for work to residency.<ref name = "WorktoResident"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/residencefromwork/caniworkfromresi/quickcheck.htm|title=Residence from Work – quick check|publisher=Immigration New Zealand|access-date=25 May 2011}}</ref>

While most New Zealanders live in New Zealand, there is also a significant [[diaspora]] abroad, estimated as of 2001 at over 460,000 or 14&nbsp;percent of the international total of New Zealand-born. Of these, 360,000, over three-quarters of the New Zealand-born population residing outside of New Zealand, live in Australia. Other communities of New Zealanders abroad are concentrated in other English-speaking countries, specifically the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, with smaller numbers located elsewhere.<ref name="The diaspora">{{cite web|url= http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2004/04-13/02.htm#_toc2|title= New Zealand's Diaspora and Overseas-born Population: The diaspora|author= John Bryant and David Law|date= September 2004|work= New Zealand Treasury|access-date= 10 August 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110724215819/http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2004/04-13/02.htm#_toc2|archive-date= 24 July 2011|url-status= dead}}</ref> Nearly one quarter of New Zealand's highly skilled workers live overseas, mostly in Australia and Britain, more than any other developed nation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Quarter of NZ's brightest are gone|first=Simon|last=Collins|date=March 2005|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10114923}}</ref> However many educated professionals from Europe and lesser developed countries have recently migrated to New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The labour market performance of European immigrants in New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s |journal=The International Migration Review |year=2000 |last=Winkelmann |first=Rainer |volume=33 |pages=33–58 |doi=10.2307/2676011 |jstor=2676011 |issue=1 }} Journal subscription required</ref>{{sfn|Bain|2006|p=44}} A common pathway for New Zealanders to move to the UK is through a job offer via the Tier 2 (General) visa, which grants a 3-year initial stay in the country and can later be extended with three more years. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residency. Another popular option is the UK Working Holiday visa, also known as "Youth Mobility Scheme" (YMS), which grants New Zealanders 2-year rights to live and work in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visafirst.com/uk_visas.asp|title=UK visa options for New Zealand citizens|publisher=Visa First Migration Agency|access-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417170746/https://www.visafirst.com/uk_visas.asp|archive-date=17 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Migration data of New Zealand, 2001–present ===
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ New Zealand Annual Migration Data <ref>{{cite web |title=International migration: March 2024 |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/international-migration-march-2024/#annual |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=2024-05-31}}</ref>
! Year !! Migrant Arrivals !! Migrant Departures !! Net Migration
|-
| 2001 || 114,597 || 84,332 || 30,265
|-
| 2002 || 134,046 || 73,255 || 60,791
|-
| 2003 || 120,591 || 79,175 || 41,416
|-
| 2004 || 103,496 || 89,356 || 14,140
|-
| 2005 || 103,982 || 92,716 || 11,266
|-
| 2006 || 110,687 || 93,974 || 16,713
|-
| 2007 || 113,450 || 102,413 || 11,037
|-
| 2008 || 119,994 || 107,723 || 12,271
|-
| 2009 || 108,265 || 89,996 || 18,269
|-
| 2010 || 100,499 || 100,776 || -277
|-
| 2011 || 100,206 || 116,350 || -16,144
|-
| 2012 || 101,762 || 112,170 || -10,408
|-
| 2013 || 110,282 || 92,991 || 17,291
|-
| 2014 || 128,180 || 80,767 || 47,413
|-
| 2015 || 140,125 || 80,316 || 59,809
|-
| 2016 || 143,124 || 80,235 || 62,889
|-
| 2017 || 140,102 || 86,822 || 53,280
|-
| 2018 || 139,014 || 89,447 || 49,567
|-
| 2019 || 165,742 || 93,154 || 72,588
|-
| 2020 || 91,444 || 54,600 || 36,844
|-
| 2021 || 55,459 || 70,409 || -14,950
|-
| 2022 || 119,440 || 94,539 || 24,901
|-
| 2023 || 244,763 || 110,319 || 134,445
|}

==Ethnicity==
{{See also|List of ethnic origins of New Zealanders}}
[[Image:NZCensus2023-EthnicityGraph.svg|thumb|left|Ethnic groups according to the 2023 census:<ref name="ethnicity2013">{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=Society%2C1%7C2023%20Census%23CAT_2023_CENSUS%23%7CEthnicity%2C%20culture%2C%20and%20identity%23CAT_ETHNICITY_CULTURE_AND_IDENTITY%23&pg=0&fc=Society&bp=true&snb=19&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_ECI_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=2013%2B2018%2B2023.9999%2B99999%2B999999.211%2B116%2B115%2B114%2B113%2B112%2B111%2B9999.99.99&ly[rw]=CEN23_GEO_002&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001%2CCEN23_ETH_006&to[TIME]=false|title=Ethnicity (detailed single and combination), age, and gender for the census usually resident population count, (RC, TALB, SA2, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
{{legend|#0000ff|European}}
{{Legend striped|#0000ff|#ff0000|Mixed European-Māori}}
{{legend|#ff0000|Māori}}
{{legend|#2ca02c|Asian}}
{{legend|#aa0088|Pasifika}}
{{legend|#ffcc00|MELAA}}
{{legend|#aa4400|Other}}]]
New Zealand is a [[multiethnic society]], and home to people of many different national origins. Originally composed solely of the [[Māori people|Māori]] who arrived in the thirteenth century, the [[ethnic group|ethnic]] makeup of the population later became dominated by [[European New Zealanders|New Zealanders of European descent]].<ref name="Pool">{{cite encyclopedia|first1=Ian|last1=Pool|author1-link=Ian Pool|title=Death rates and life expectancy - Effects of colonisation on Māori|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=July 2012|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/death-rates-and-life-expectancy/page-4|access-date=12 July 2013}}</ref> In the nineteenth century, European settlers brought diseases for which the Māori had no immunity. By the 1890s, the Māori population was approximately 40 percent of its size pre-contact.<ref name="Pool" /> The Māori population increased during the twentieth century,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Pool|first1=Ian|author1-link=Ian Pool|title=Population change - Māori population change|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/population-change/page-6|access-date=21 August 2017|date=5 May 2011}}</ref> though it remains a minority.  The [[1961 New Zealand census]] recorded that the population was 92&nbsp;percent European and 7&nbsp;percent Māori, with [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]] and [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]] minorities sharing the remaining 1&nbsp;percent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10678220|title=Ethnic mix changing rapidly|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=October 2010|first=Simon|last=Collins}}</ref>

At the census in 2018, 70.2&nbsp;percent identified as European, 16.5&nbsp;percent as Māori, 15.1&nbsp;percent as Asian, 8.1 percent as Pasifika, and 1.2&nbsp;percent as [[Ethnic groups in West Asia|Middle-Eastern]], [[Latin America]]n, and [[African New Zealanders|African]] (MELAA).{{refn|When completing the census people could select more than one ethnic group. The proportions of people adding up to each ethnic group do not therefore add up to 100&nbsp;percent.|name=ethnicity|group=n}}<ref name="2018census"/> Most New Zealanders are of English,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Hearn|first1=Terry|title=English|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/english|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |access-date=20 August 2017|date=25 March 2015}}</ref> Scottish,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Wilson|first1=John|title=Scots|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/scots|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |access-date=20 August 2017|date=25 March 2015}}</ref> and Irish ancestry,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Phillips|first1=Jock|title=Irish|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/irish|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |access-date=20 August 2017|date=25 March 2017}}</ref> with smaller percentages of other European ancestries, such as Dutch, Dalmatian, French, German and Scandinavian.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=History of immigration|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/history-of-immigration|access-date=20 August 2017|date=8 February 2005}}</ref> Auckland was the most diverse region with 53.5&nbsp;percent identifying as European, 28.2&nbsp;percent as Asian, 11.5&nbsp;percent as Māori, 15.5&nbsp;percent as Pasifika and 1.1&nbsp;percent as MELAA.<ref name="2018census"/> According to [[Massey University]] sociologist [[Paul Spoonley]], ethnic intermarriage has consistently been very common in New Zealand since colonisation. Unlike the United States, New Zealand has never prohibited interracial marriages; they have in fact been historically encouraged by many.<ref name="auto"/> In 2015, more than half of Maori, or 53.5 per cent, and almost four in 10, or 37.2 per cent of Pasifika, identified with two or more ethnic groups. At current rates of population growth, Asians, Pasifika and Māori will outnumber Europeans in Auckland within the next decade.<ref name="auto1"/>

All major ethnic groups except European increased when compared with the 2013 census, in which 74&nbsp;percent identified as European, 14.6&nbsp;percent as Māori, 11.8&nbsp;percent as Asian, and 7.4&nbsp;percent of Pasifika origin.<ref name="ethnicity2013"/> Heightened immigration from Asia and the Pacific,<ref name="Overseas_pop"/> and higher fertility rates amongst Māori and Pasifika,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Births and deaths: Year ended June 2021 {{!}} Stats NZ |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/births-and-deaths-year-ended-june-2021/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=www.stats.govt.nz}}</ref> have resulted in the population of Māori, Asian and Pasifika descent growing at a higher rate than those of European descent.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/ethnic-pop-projections-issues-and-trends.aspx|title= Ethnic Population Projections: Issues and Trends|author=Gillian Smeith and Kim Dunstan|date= June 2004|work=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=10 August 2010}}</ref> Moreover, non-European ethnic groups make up a greater proportion of younger people, whereas European ethnic groups make up a large proportion of older people due to historic immigration trends and lower [[life expectancy]] in Māori and Pasifika ethnic groups.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Growth in life expectancy slows {{!}} Stats NZ |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/growth-in-life-expectancy-slows/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=www.stats.govt.nz}}</ref> For instance, in 2013, the population aged under 15 years was 67&nbsp;percent European, 27&nbsp;percent Māori, 14&nbsp;percent Pacific, 16&nbsp;percent Asian, and 2&nbsp;percent MELAA, while the population aged 65 years and older consisted of 86&nbsp;percent European, 7&nbsp;percent Māori, 6&nbsp;percent Asian and 3&nbsp;percent Pacific.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group (detailed total response - level 3) by age and sex, for the census usually resident population count, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses (RC, TA, SA2, DHB). |url=https://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE8321 |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz}}</ref>

There was significant public discussion about usage of the term "New Zealander" during the months leading up to the [[2006 New Zealand census|2006 census]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kukutai |first1=Tahu |author-link=Tahu Kukutai |last2=Didham |first2=Robert |title=In Search of Ethnic New Zealanders: National Naming in the 2006 Census |url=https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj36/36-in-search-of-ethnic-new-zealanders.html |access-date=19 August 2017 |publisher=Social Policy Journal of New Zealand |language=en}}</ref> The number of people identifying with this term increased from approximately 80,000 (2.4&nbsp;percent) in 2001 to just under 430,000 people (11.1&nbsp;percent) in 2006.<ref name="2013_other_group">{{cite web|title=2013 Census information by variable|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/info-about-2013-census-data/information-by-variable/ethnicity.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=19 August 2017|language=en-nz}}</ref> The European grouping significantly decreased from 80.0 percent of the population in 2001 to 67.6 percent in 2006, however, this is broadly proportional to the large increase in "New Zealanders".<ref name="2013_other_group"/> The number of people identifying as a "New Zealander" dropped back to under 66,000 in 2013,<ref name="2013_other_group"/> and further declined to about 45,300 in 2018.<ref name="2018census"/>

Statistics New Zealand has not released official statistical counts of Māori ''[[iwi]]'' (tribes) from the 2018 census due to a low response rate.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Census – real data about real people |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/2018-census-real-data-about-real-people |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref> As last recorded in the 2013 census, the largest ''iwi'' is [[Ngāpuhi]] with 125,601 people (or 18.8 percent of people of Māori descent).<ref name="Māori QuickStats">{{cite web|title=2013 Census QuickStats about Māori|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-m%C4%81ori-english/population.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=19 August 2017|language=en-nz|archive-date=6 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406225400/http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-m%C4%81ori-english/population.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 2006 and 2013 the number of people of Māori descent stating Ngāpuhi as their ''iwi'' increased by 3,390 people (2.8&nbsp;percent). The second-largest was [[Ngāti Porou]], with 71,049 people (down 1.2&nbsp;percent from 2006). [[Ngāi Tahu]] was the largest in the South Island and the third-largest overall, with a count of 54,819 people (an increase of 11.4&nbsp;percent from 2006). A total of 110,928 people (or 18.5&nbsp;percent) of Māori descent did not know their ''iwi'' (an increase of 8.4&nbsp;percent compared with 2006).<ref name="Māori QuickStats"/> A group of Māori migrated to ''Rēkohu'', now known as the [[Chatham Islands]], where they developed their distinct [[Moriori]] culture.<ref>{{cite book|last=Clark|first=Ross|year=1994|chapter=Moriori and Māori: The Linguistic Evidence|editor-last=Sutton|editor-first=Douglas|title=The Origins of the First New Zealanders|location=Auckland|publisher=[[Auckland University Press]]|pages=123–135}}</ref><ref name="Davis–Māui">{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/moriori/4 |title=The impact of new arrivals |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |last1=Davis |first1=Denise |first2=Māui |last2=Solomon |date=September 2007 |access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref> The Moriori population was decimated, first, by disease brought by European sealers and whalers and, second, by [[Taranaki (iwi)|Taranaki]] Māori, with only 101 surviving in 1862 and the last known full-blooded Moriori dying in 1933.<ref name="Davis–Māui" /> The number of people identifying as having Moriori ancestry increased from 105 in 1991 to 945 in 2006,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|author=Denise Davis and Māui Solomon|title=Moriori – Facts and figures' |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=4 March 2009|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/moriori/6|access-date=22 April 2011}}</ref> but decreased to 738 in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iwi individual profiles: Moriori|url=http://www.statistics.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/iwi-profiles-individual.aspx?request_value=24628&tabname=Mihi&sc_device=pdf|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=19 August 2017|date=2013}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:right;"
|+
|-
! rowspan="2" | Ethnicity !! colspan="2" | 2006 census !! colspan="2" | 2013 census
! colspan="2" |2018 census !! colspan="2" | 2023 census
|-
! Number !! % !! Number !! % !! Number !! % !! Number !! %
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''European'''||'''2,609,589'''||'''67.6'''||'''2,969,391'''||'''74.0'''||'''3,297,864'''||'''70.2'''||'''3,383,742'''||'''67.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;New Zealand European ||2,381,076||61.7||2,727,009||68.0||3,013,440||64.1||3,099,858||62.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;British & Irish ||100,668||2.6||105,765||2.6||121,986||2.6
|122,571
|2.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;South African European ||21,609||0.6||28,656||0.7||37,155||0.8
|48,930
|1.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dutch || 28,644 || 0.7 || 28,503 || 0.7||29,820||0.6
|30,948
|0.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Australian || 26,355 || 0.7 || 22,467 || 0.6||29,349||0.6
|30,591
|0.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''Māori'''||'''565,329'''||'''14.6'''||'''598,605'''||'''14.9'''||'''775,836'''||'''16.5'''||'''887,493'''||'''17.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''Asian'''||'''354,552'''||'''9.2'''||'''471,708'''||'''11.8'''||'''707,598'''||'''15.1'''||'''861,576'''||'''17.3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Indian || 104,583 || 2.5 || 155,178 || 3.9||239,193||5.1||292,092||5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chinese || 147,570 || 3.6 || 171,411 || 4.3||247,770||5.3||279,039||5.6
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Filipino
|16,938
|0.4
|40,350
|1.0
|72,612
|1.5
|108,297
|2.2
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Korean
|30,792
|0.8
|30,171
|0.8
|35,644
|0.8
|38,934
|0.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''Pasifikas'''||'''265,974'''||'''6.9'''||'''295,941'''||'''7.4'''||'''381,642'''||'''8.1'''||'''442,632'''||'''8.9'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Samoan || 131,103 || 3.4 || 144,138 || 3.6||182,721||3.9||213,069||4.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tongan || 50,481 || 1.3 || 60,333 || 1.5||82,389||1.8||97,824||2.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cook Islands Māori || 56,895 || 1.5 || 61,077 || 1.5||80,532||1.7||94,176||1.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Niuean || 22,476 || 0.6 || 23,883 || 0.6||30,867||0.7
|34,944
|0.7
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fijian
|9,861
|0.3
|14,445
|0.4
|19,722
|0.4
|25,038
|0.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''Middle Eastern/Latin American/African'''||'''34,743'''||'''0.9'''||'''46,953'''||'''1.2'''||'''70,332'''||'''1.5'''||'''92,760'''||'''1.9'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |'''Other'''||'''430,881'''||'''11.2'''||'''67,752'''||'''1.7'''||'''58,053'''||'''1.2'''
|'''56,133'''
|'''1.1'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;New Zealander ||429,429||11.1||65,973||1.6||45,330||1.0
|42,684
|0.9
|-
! style="text-align:left;" | Total people stated ||3,860,163|| ||4,011,399|| ||4,699,755|| ||4,993,923||
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Not elsewhere included ||167,784||4.2||230,646||5.4|| 0||0.0
|0
|0.0
|}

The maps below (taken from 2013 census data<ref name="ethnicity2013"/>) show the percentages of people in each census area unit identifying themselves as European, Māori, Asian, or Pacific Islander (as defined by Statistics New Zealand). As people could identify themselves with multiple groups, percentages are not cumulative.
<gallery widths="250" heights="200">
File:Euro NZ 2006 to 2018.gif|alt=|'''European''' from 2006 to 2018
File:Maori ethnicity declared in 2018.png|alt=|'''Māori''' in 2018
File:Asians ethnicity 2018 mapped.png|alt=|'''Asian''' in 2018
File:Pacific peoples 2018 mapped.png|alt=|'''Pasifikas''' in 2018
</gallery>

{{Clear}}

==Language==
{{main|Languages of New Zealand}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Population of New Zealand by language spoken, 1996-2023
|-
!
! colspan="2" |1996<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll18/id/135/download |title=Table 5 Official Languages Spoken for the Population Resident in New Zealand |date=1996 |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=2025-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328062211/https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll18/id/135/download |archive-date=2025-03-28 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite report |url=https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll18/id/136/download |title=Table 6: Numbers of Speakers of Selected Languages for the Population Resident in New Zealand |date=1996 |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=2025-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250329195842/https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll18/id/136/download |archive-date=2025-03-29 |url-status=live}}</ref>
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |2001<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=2013 Census QuickStats about culture and identity |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/2013-census-quickstats-about-culture-and-identity/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Statistics New Zealand}}</ref>
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |2006<ref name=":02" />
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |2013<ref name=":02" />
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |2018<ref name="2018 results" />
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |2023<ref>{{Cite web |title=Languages spoken, ethnicity, and gender for the census usually resident population count, (RC, TALB, SA2, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses |url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?lc=en&df[ds]=nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_ECI_011&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&av=true&dq=2013%2B2018%2B2023.9999.777%2B17%2B03%2B02%2B01%2B999.9999.99&to[TIME]=false&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001&ly[rw]=CEN23_LAN_001 |website=Statistics New Zealand}}</ref>
|-
!Languages spoken
!#
!%
!#
!%
!#
!%
!#
!%
!#
!%
!#
!%
|-
|English
|3290454
|95.3
|3425301
|96.1
|3673626
|95.9
|3819972
|96.1
|4482132
|95.4
|4750056
|95.1
|-
|Māori
|153666
|4.4
|160527
|4.5
|157113
|4.1
|148395
|3.7
|185955
|4.0
|213849
|4.3
|-
|Samoan
|70785
|2.0
|81033
|2.3
|85428
|2.2
|86403
|2.2
|101937
|2.2
|110541
|2.2
|-
|[[New Zealand Sign Language]]
|26589
|0.8
|27285
|0.8
|24087
|0.6
|20235
|0.5
|22986
|0.5
|24678
|0.5
|-
|None
|91458
|2.6
|76053
|2.1
|75567
|2.0
|67509
|1.7
|101751
|2.2
|104721
|2.1
|-
!Respondents
!3453912
!100
!3563796
!100
!3830757
!100
!3973359
!100
!4699716
!100
!4993923
!100
|-
!% population responded
! colspan="2" |95.5
! colspan="2" |95.4
! colspan="2" |95.1
! colspan="2" |93.7
! colspan="2" |>99.9
! colspan="2" |100
|-
!Total population
! colspan="2" |3618303
! colspan="2" |3737280
! colspan="2" |4027947
! colspan="2" |4242048
! colspan="2" |4699755
! colspan="2" |4993923
|}
English has long been entrenched as a ''de facto'' national language due to its widespread use.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Woolf|first1=Amber-Leigh|title=Petition to make English an official language in New Zealand|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/71296013/petition-to-make-english-an-official-language-in-new-zealand|access-date=17 August 2017|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=20 August 2015}}</ref> In the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], 95.4&nbsp;percent of respondents spoke English,<ref name="2018 results" /> down from 96.1 percent in 2013.<ref name="SpokenLanguage">{{cite web|title=2013 Census QuickStats about culture and identity – Languages spoken|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-culture-identity/languages.aspx|publisher=[[Statistics New Zealand]]|access-date=8 September 2016}}</ref> The [[New Zealand English|New Zealand English dialect]] is mostly [[Rhotic and non-rhotic accents|non-rhotic]] with an exception being the Southern Burr found principally in [[Southland, New Zealand|Southland]] and parts of [[Otago]].{{sfn|Kortmann|Schneider|Burridge|Mesthrie|2004|p=605}} It is similar to [[Australian English]] and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the [[Accent (dialect)|accents]] apart.{{sfn|Hay|Maclagan|Gordon|2008|p=14}} In New Zealand English the short '''i''' (as in kit) has become [[Central vowel|centralised]], leading to the phrase ''fish and chips'' sounding like "fush and chups" to the Australian ear.{{sfn|Crystal|2003|p=}} The words ''rarely'' and ''really'', ''reel'' and ''real'', ''doll'' and ''dole'', ''pull'' and ''pool'', ''witch'' and ''which'', and ''full'' and ''fill'' can sometimes be pronounced as [[homophone]]s.{{sfn|Kortmann|Schneider|Burridge|Mesthrie|2004|p=582, 589, 592, 610}}<ref name="Trudgill and Hannah, p 24">[[Trudgill, Peter]] and Jean Hannah. (2002). International English: A Guide to the Varieties of Standard English, 4th ed. London: Arnold., p 24.</ref>{{sfn|Kortmann|Schneider|Burridge|Mesthrie|2004|p=605}} Some New Zealanders pronounce the [[Participle|past participles]] ''grown'', ''thrown'' and ''mown'' using two [[syllable]]s, whereas ''groan'', ''throne'' and ''moan'' are pronounced as one syllable.{{sfn|Kortmann|Schneider|Burridge|Mesthrie|2004|p=611}} New Zealanders often reply to a question or emphasise a point by adding a [[high rising terminal|rising intonation]] at the end of the sentence.{{sfn|Crystal|2003|p=355}}

[[File:TeReoMaori2013.png|thumb|alt=Map of New Zealand showing the percentage of people in each census area unit who speak Māori. Areas of the North Island exhibit the highest Māori proficiency.|Speakers of Māori according to the 2013 census:
{{legend|#fef0d9|Less than 5%}}
{{legend|#fdd8a4|More than 5%}}
{{legend|#fcb779|More than 10%}}
{{legend|#fc8d59|More than 20%}}
{{legend|#eb603f|More than 30%}}
{{legend|#d33121|More than 40%}}
{{legend|#a50c0c|More than 50%}}]]
Initially, the [[Māori language]] (''te reo Māori'') was permitted in [[native schools]] to facilitate English instruction, but as time went on official attitudes hardened against any use of the language. Māori were discouraged from speaking their own language in schools and work places and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas.<ref name="Māori language">{{cite encyclopedia|first=Jock |last=Phillips|title=The New Zealanders – Bicultural New Zealand|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=March 2009|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/the-new-zealanders/12|access-date=21 January 2011}}</ref> The language underwent [[Māori language revival|a revival]] beginning in the 1970s, and now more people speak Māori.<ref name="MLW">{{cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week|title=Māori Language Week – Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori|publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage|access-date=1 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=British influence ebbs as New Zealand takes to talking Māori |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/newzealand/1490814/British-influence-ebbs-as-New-Zealand-takes-to-talking-Maori.html|first=Nick|last=Squires|date=May 2005|work=The Telegraph|location=Great Britain}}</ref> The future of the language was the subject of a claim before the [[Waitangi Tribunal]] in 1985. As a result, Māori was declared an official language in 1987.<ref name = "Māori language act">{{cite web|title=Waitangi Tribunal claim – Māori Language Week|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/waitangi-tribunal-claim|publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage|date=July 2010|access-date=19 January 2011|archive-date=2 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602204914/http://nzhistory.net.nz/culture/maori-language-week/waitangi-tribunal-claim|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2013 census, 21.3&nbsp;percent of Māori people—and 3.7&nbsp;percent of all respondents, including some non-Māori people—reported [[language proficiency|conversational fluency]] in the language.<ref>{{cite web|title=Māori language speakers|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/nz-social-indicators/Home/Culture%20and%20identity/maori-lang-speakers.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=2 September 2017|date=2013}}</ref>{{refn|In 2015, 55&nbsp;percent of Māori adults (aged 15 years and over) reported some knowledge of ''te reo Māori''. Of these speakers, 64 percent use Māori at home and 50,000 can speak the language "very well" or "well".<ref name="tereoMaori">{{cite web|title=Ngā puna kōrero: Where Māori speak te reo – infographic|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/people_and_communities/maori/te-kupenga/use-te-reo-infographic-english.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=8 September 2016}}</ref>|group=n}} There are now Māori language immersion schools and two [[Māori Television]] channels, the only nationwide television channels to have the majority of their prime-time content delivered in Māori.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.maoritelevision.com/default.aspx?tabid=211&pid=367|title=Māori Television Launches 100&nbsp;percent Māori Language Channel|publisher=Māori Television|access-date=30 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511151530/http://media.maoritelevision.com/default.aspx?tabid=211&pid=367|archive-date=11 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[List of dual place names in New Zealand|Many places]] have officially been given dual Māori and English names in recent years.

In the 2018 census, 22,987 people reported the ability to use [[New Zealand Sign Language]].<ref name="2018 results"/> It was declared one of New Zealand's official languages in 2006.<ref>[http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2006/0018/latest/DLM372754.html New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 No 18 (as at 30 June 2008), Public Act]. New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 29 November 2011.</ref>

[[Samoan language|Samoan]] is the most widely spoken non-official language (2.2&nbsp;percent), followed by "Northern Chinese" (including [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]; 2.0&nbsp;percent), [[Hindi]] (1.5&nbsp;percent) and [[French language|French]] (1.2&nbsp;percent).<ref name="2018 results"/> A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are [[multilingual]].<ref name="2018 results"/>

==Religion==
{{main|Religion in New Zealand}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;font-size:95%;"
! colspan="3"|Religious affiliation in New Zealand (2018)<ref name="2018 results"/>
|-
! Affiliation<ref group=n>This table includes all people who stated each religious affiliation, whether as their only religious affiliation or as one of several. Where a person reported more than one religious affiliation, they were counted in each applicable group.</ref>
! colspan="2"|% of New Zealand population
|-
| '''Religious'''
|align=right| {{bartable|44.93||2||background:#4B0082}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Anglican]]
|align=right| {{bartable|6.70||2||background:darkblue}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Roman Catholic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|6.29||2||background:purple}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Presbyterian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|4.71||2||background:dodgerblue}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Other Christian{{refn|1=Including churches designated as "Māori Christian", such as the [[Rātana]] church.<ref name="2013table28">[http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/data-tables/total-by-topic.aspx Table 28, 2013 Census Data – QuickStats About Culture and Identity – Tables].</ref>|group=n}}
|align=right| {{bartable|20.23||2||background:lightblue}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Hindu]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2.63||2||background:orange}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Muslim]]
|align=right| {{bartable|1.31||2||background:green}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| [[Buddhist]]
|align=right| {{bartable|1.12||2||background:yellow}}
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:15px;"| Other religions
|align=right| {{bartable|2.83||2||background:chartreuse}}
|-
| '''[[Irreligion in New Zealand|Irreligious]]'''
|align=right| {{bartable|48.47||2||background:grey}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Object to answering
|align=right| {{bartable|6.66||2||background:black}}
|}

The predominant religion in New Zealand is [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christianity]]. As recorded in the 2018 census, about 38&nbsp;percent of the population identified themselves as Christians,<ref name="2018 results"/> although regular [[church attendance]] is estimated at 15&nbsp;percent.<ref name="bibleengagement">{{cite book | last = Opie | first = Stephen | title = Bible Engagement in New Zealand: Survey of Attitudes and Behaviour | pages = 4 | publisher = Bible Society of New Zealand | date = June 2008 | url = http://biblesociety.org.nz/mediafiles/bible-society-research-2008.pdf | access-date = 29 May 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100526105617/http://biblesociety.org.nz/mediafiles/bible-society-research-2008.pdf | archive-date = 26 May 2010}}</ref> Another 48.5&nbsp;percent indicated that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]]<ref name="2018 results"/> (up from 41.9&nbsp;percent in 2013 and 34.7&nbsp;percent in 2006<ref name = "religion census">{{cite web|title=QuickStats About Culture and Identity: Religious affiliation|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/culture-and-identity/religious-affiliation.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=20 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309165612/http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/culture-and-identity/religious-affiliation.aspx|archive-date=9 March 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>) and around 7.5&nbsp;percent affiliated with other religions.<ref name="2018 results"/>

The [[Religion of Māori people#Traditional Māori religion|indigenous religion]] of the Māori population was [[animistic]], but with the arrival of [[missionaries]] from the early nineteenth century most of the Māori population [[Religious conversion|converted]] to Christianity.<ref>{{cite book | editor-last = Brock | editor-first = Peggy | title = Indigenous Peoples and Religious Change | publisher=Brill Academic Publishers |chapter=Broken Tongues and Foreign Hearts|last=Wagstrom|first=Thor| location = Boston | year = 2005 | isbn = 978-90-04-13899-5 |pages=71 and 73}}</ref> In the 2018 census, 3,699 Māori identify themselves as adhering to "Māori religions, beliefs and philosophies".<ref name="2018 results"/>

In the 2018 census, the largest reported Christian affiliations are [[Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia|Anglican]] (6.7&nbsp;percent of the population), [[Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand|Roman Catholic]] (6.3&nbsp;percent), [[Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand|Presbyterian]] (4.7&nbsp;percent). There are also significant numbers of Christians who identify themselves with [[Methodist Church of New Zealand|Methodist]], [[Pentecostal]], [[Baptist Union of New Zealand|Baptist]] and [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Zealand|Latter-day Saint]] churches, and the New Zealand-based [[Rātana]] church has adherents among Māori.<ref name="2018 results"/> Immigration and associated demographic change in recent decades has contributed to the growth of minority religions,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Morris|first=Paul|title=Diverse religions|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=May 2011|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/diverse-religions|access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> especially [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hinduism]], [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhism]] and [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]].<!--PLEASE DO ''not'' ADD YOUR/ANY OTHER RELIGION HERE. THESE ARE THE LARGEST RELIGIONS IN THE CENSUS.--><ref name="2006Census">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/statistics/publications/census/2006-reports/quickstats-subject/culture-identity/quickstats-about-culture-and-identity-tables.aspx|format=XLS|title=2006 Census Data – QuickStats About Culture and Identity – Tables|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|work=2006 Census|access-date=30 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610100515/http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/statistics/publications/census/2006-reports/quickstats-subject/culture-identity/quickstats-about-culture-and-identity-tables.aspx|archive-date=10 June 2011|url-status=dead}} In tables 28 (Religious Affiliation) and 19 (Languages Spoken by Ethnic Group)</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Publications/Census/2006-reports/quickstats-subject/Culture-Identity/qstats-about-culture-and-identity-2006-census.pdf |title=Quick Stats About culture and Identity— 2006 Census |publisher=Statistics New Zealand |access-date=28 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205012614/http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Publications/Census/2006-reports/quickstats-subject/Culture-Identity/qstats-about-culture-and-identity-2006-census.pdf |archive-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Other subjects==
===Education===
{{Main|Education in New Zealand}}

Education follows the three-tier model, which includes primary schools, followed by secondary schools (high schools) and tertiary education at universities or [[Institute of technology#New Zealand|polytechnics]]. The [[Programme for International Student Assessment]] ranked New Zealand's education as the seventh highest in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/54/12/46643496.pdf|title=Figure 1: Comparing countries' and Economies' performance|publisher=[[Programme for International Student Assessment]] [[OECD]]}}</ref> The [[Education Index]], published with the UN's 2014 [[Human Development Index]] and based on data from 2013, listed New Zealand at 0.917, ranked second after Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Human Development Reports - Education Index|url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/education-index|publisher=UNDP|access-date=19 August 2017|language=en|date=2014|archive-date=4 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104212133/http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/education-index|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{As of|July 2019|alt=In July 2019}} there were 476,240 primary students, 278,266 secondary students, and 58,340 students attending composite (combined primary and secondary) schools.<ref>{{cite web |title=Students enrolled in New Zealand schools |url=https://figure.nz/chart/rTaa8YdYdaCbHKnh |website=Figure.NZ |access-date=19 July 2020 |language=en-nz |date=July 2019}}</ref> Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16<ref name = "Education Stats">{{cite web|title=Education Statistics of New Zealand: 2009|publisher=Education Counts|first=Olivia|last=Dench|date=July 2010|url=http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ece/2507/80221|access-date=19 January 2011}}</ref> with most children starting at 5. Early leaving exemptions may be granted to 15-year-old students that have been experiencing some ongoing difficulties at school or are unlikely to benefit from continued attendance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/technical_info/indicator_definition/student_participation/tertiary_education/3941|title=Early leaving exemptions|access-date=6 May 2011|publisher=Ministry of Education|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101012002613/http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/technical_info/indicator_definition/student_participation/tertiary_education/3941|archive-date=12 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Parents and caregivers can home school their children if they obtain approval from the Ministry of Education and prove that their child will be taught "as regularly and as well as in a registered school".<ref name = "NZ School">{{cite web|url=http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/HowSchoolsWork/TypesOfSchool.aspx#2|title=Types of school|publisher=Ministry of Education website|access-date=25 May 2011|archive-date=21 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121232913/http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/HowSchoolsWork/TypesOfSchool.aspx#2|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are 13 school years and attending [[State school|state (public) schools]] is nominally free from an individual's fifth birthday until the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday.<ref name = "NZ School"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Fees|url=http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/HowSchoolsWork/Fees.aspx|publisher=Ministry of Education|access-date=25 May 2011|archive-date=6 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406225403/http://www.minedu.govt.nz/Parents/YourChild/HowSchoolsWork/Fees.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from late January until mid-December for primary and secondary schools and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99&nbsp;percent,<ref name="CIA">{{cite web|title=The World Factbook – New Zealand|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/new-zealand/|date=15 November 2007|work=CIA|access-date=30 November 2007}}</ref> and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification.<ref name = "Education Stats"/>{{#tag:ref|[[Tertiary education in New Zealand]] describes all aspects of post-school education and training. Its ranges from informal non-assessed community courses in schools through to undergraduate degrees and advanced, research-based postgraduate degrees.|group=n}} In the adult population 14.2&nbsp;percent have a [[bachelor's degree]] or higher, 30.4&nbsp;percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4&nbsp;percent have no formal qualification.<ref name="TertiaryEdStats">{{cite web|url=http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/excel_doc/0007/17836/Education_attainment_of_the_population.xls |format=xls |title=Educational attainment of the population |publisher=Education Counts |access-date=21 February 2008 |year=2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015143050/http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/excel_doc/0007/17836/Education_attainment_of_the_population.xls |archive-date=15 October 2008}}</ref>

===Income===
{{main|Economy of New Zealand}}

New Zealand's early economy was based on sealing, whaling, [[Phormium|flax]], gold, [[kauri gum]], and native timber.<ref name="RWT export evolution">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/trade-external/1 |editor-last1=McLintock|editor-first1=A. H. |title=Historical evolution and trade patterns |encyclopedia=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |year=2009 |orig-year=1966 |access-date=10 February 2011}}</ref> During the 1880s agricultural products became the highest export earner and farming was a major occupation within New Zealand.<ref name ="farm">{{cite encyclopedia|first1=Hugh|last1=Stringleman|first2=Robert|last2=Peden|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/sheep-farming/1|title=Sheep farming – Importance of the sheep industry|encyclopedia=[[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |date=October 2009|access-date=9 May 2011}}</ref> Farming is still a major employer, with 75 000 people indicating farming as their occupation during the 2006 census,<ref name = "Occupation">{{cite web|url=http://search.stats.govt.nz/search?p=R&srid=S2%2d3&lbc=statsnz&w=occupations&uid=485296548&sid=2&ts=custom&method=and&isort=score&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stats.govt.nz%2Fcensus%2F1996-census-data%2Fmore-census-1996-counts.aspx&rk=2&rurl=yes&nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stats.govt.nz%2F~%2Fmedia%2Fstatistics%2Fmethods%2520and%2520services%2Ftables%2Fmore%2520census%25201996%2520counts%2Fmore-census-1996-occupations.aspx|title=Occupation for the Employed Census Usually Resident Population Count|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|format=xml|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=12 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112200413/http://search.stats.govt.nz/search?p=R&srid=S2%2d3&lbc=statsnz&w=occupations&uid=485296548&sid=2&ts=custom&method=and&isort=score&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stats.govt.nz%2Fcensus%2F1996-census-data%2Fmore-census-1996-counts.aspx&rk=2&rurl=yes&nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stats.govt.nz%2F~%2Fmedia%2Fstatistics%2Fmethods%2520and%2520services%2Ftables%2Fmore%2520census%25201996%2520counts%2Fmore-census-1996-occupations.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> although dairy farming has recently taken over from sheep as the largest sector.<ref name ="farm"/> The largest occupation recorded during the 2018 census was sales assistant with 108,702 people, followed by office managers (65,907 people), chief executives or managing directors (54,480 people), and sales representatives not elsewhere included (51,747 people).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=2018 Census totals by topic – national highlights (updated) {{!}} Stats NZ|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights-updated|access-date=2022-01-06|website=www.stats.govt.nz}}</ref> The largest industries of employment were cafes and restaurants (67,608 people), supermarkets and grocery stores (57,609 people), primary education (55,779 people), hospitals (52,887 people), and house construction (51,804 people).<ref name=":0"/> Most people earn their income from wages or salaries (60.6 percent), with the other sources of income being [[Pension|superannuation or pensions]] (17.3 percent), interest and investments (16.8 percent) and self-employment (14.8 percent).<ref name=":0"/>

In 1982 New Zealand had the lowest per-capita income of all the developed nations surveyed by [[World Bank Group|the World Bank]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Evans |first=N. |title=Up From Down Under: After a Century of Socialism, Australia and New Zealand are Cutting Back Government and Freeing Their Economies |journal=National Review |volume=46 |issue=16 |pages=47–51}}</ref> In 2010 the estimated gross domestic product (GDP) at [[purchasing power parity]] (PPP) per capita was roughly US$28,250, between the thirty-first and fifty-first highest for all countries.{{#tag:ref|PPP GDP estimates from different organisations vary. The [[International Monetary Fund]]'s estimate is US$27,420, ranked 32.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2008&ey=2015&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=30&pr1.y=9&c=196&s=PPPPC&grp=0&a=|title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects|publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]]|access-date=30 January 2011|date=October 2010}}</ref> The CIA [[World Factbook]] estimate is $28,000, ranked 51.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html|title=GDP – per capita (PPP)|publisher=[[The World Factbook]], [[Central Intelligence Agency]]|access-date=22 January 2011|archive-date=24 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424075526/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[World Bank]]'s estimate is US$29,352, ranked 31.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD|publisher=World Bank|access-date=22 January 2011|title=GDP per capita (current US$)}}</ref>|group=n}} The median personal income in 2006 was $24,400. This was up from $15,600 in 1996, with the largest increases in the $50,000 to $70,000 bracket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income.aspx|title=QuickStats About Incomes: Personal Income|publisher=New Zealand Statistics|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=25 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525055317/http://stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Gender pay gap in New Zealand|Men earn more than women]] on average, with the median income for men in 2011 being $31,500, $12,400 more than women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income-by-sex.aspx|title=QuickStats About Incomes: Personal Income by Sex|publisher=New Zealand Statistics|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306143437/http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income-by-sex.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> The highest median personal income were for people identifying with the European or "other" ethnic group, while the lowest was from the Asian ethnic group. The median income for people identifying as Māori was $20,900.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income-by-ethnic-group.aspx|title=QuickStats About Incomes: Personal income by ethnic group|publisher=New Zealand Statistics|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306143432/http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/incomes/personal-income-by-ethnic-group.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2013, the median personal income had risen slightly to $28,500.<ref name="QuickStats_income">{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Census/2013%20Census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-income/quickstats-income-tables.xls|title=Total Personal Income|date=9 September 2014|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=14 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425162842/http://stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Census/2013%20Census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-income/quickstats-income-tables.xls|archive-date=25 April 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Unemployment peaked above 10&nbsp;percent in 1991 and 1992,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.socialreport.msd.govt.nz/paid-work/unemployment.html|title=Unemployment|publisher=2010 Social report|access-date=4 February 2011}}
</ref> before falling to a record low of 3.7&nbsp;percent in 2007 (ranking third from twenty-seven comparable OECD nations).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.socialreport.msd.govt.nz/paid-work/unemployment.html|title=Unemployment: the Social Report 2016 – Te pūrongo ōranga tangata|publisher=Ministry of Social Development|access-date=18 August 2017}}</ref> Unemployment rose back to 7&nbsp;percent in late 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Household Labour Force Survey: December 2010 quarter – Media Release|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/work_income_and_spending/employment_and_unemployment/HouseholdLabourForceSurvey_MRDec10qtr.aspx|first=Geoff|last=Bascand|date=February 2011|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=4 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429174323/http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/work_income_and_spending/employment_and_unemployment/HouseholdLabourForceSurvey_MRDec10qtr.aspx|archive-date=29 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the June 2017 quarter, unemployment had fallen to 4.8&nbsp;percent. This was the lowest unemployment rate since December 2008, after the start of the [[Great Recession]], when it was 4.4%.<ref>{{cite web|title=Labour Market Statistics: June 2017 quarter|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/employment_and_unemployment/LabourMarketStatistics_MRJun17qtr.aspx|publisher=Statistics New Zealand|access-date=17 August 2017|language=en-nz|date=2 August 2017}}</ref> That census held in 2006 stated that 15% of New Zealanders did some form of voluntary work through any organisation, group or
[[marae]] (men 14%, women 17%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/unpaid-work.aspx|title=QuickStats About Unpaid Work|publisher=New Zealand Statistics|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=13 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113155107/http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/unpaid-work.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Home ownership has declined since 1991, from 73.8&nbsp;percent to 66.9&nbsp;percent in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/housing/dwelling-ownership.aspx|title=QuickStats About Housing: Dwelling ownership|publisher=New Zealand Statistics|access-date=9 May 2011|archive-date=19 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119133728/http://stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/housing/dwelling-ownership.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|New Zealand}}
* [[Demographics of Auckland]]
* [[Demographics of the Cook Islands]], associated with New Zealand
* [[Health in New Zealand]]
* [[Homelessness in New Zealand]]
* [[Housing in New Zealand]]
* [[List of cities in New Zealand]]
* [[New Zealand census]]
* [[Social class in New Zealand]]
* [[51st New Zealand Parliament#Demographics_of_elected_MPs|Demographics of New Zealand Parliament (2014-2017)]]
* [[53rd New Zealand Parliament#Demographics_of_elected_MPs|Demographics of New Zealand Parliament (2020-2023)]]
* [[54th New Zealand Parliament#Demographics|Demographics of New Zealand Parliament (2023-2026)]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n|2}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Bell |editor-first1=Daphne |title=New to New Zealand: a guide to ethnic groups in New Zealand |date=2005 |edition=3rd |publisher=Reed Books |isbn=978-0-790-00998-8}}
* {{Cite book |first=Carolyn |last=Bain |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] |title=New Zealand |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-74104-535-2 }}
* {{Cite book |first=David |last=Crystal| author-link = David Crystal|publisher=Cambridge University Press |title=The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language |edition=2nd |year=2003|isbn=978-0-521-53033-0 }}
*{{cite book|title=Dialects of English: New Zealand English|first1=Jennifer |last1=Hay|first2=Margaret|last2= Maclagan|first3=Elizabeth|last3=Gordon|isbn=978-0-7486-2529-1|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|year=2008}}
* {{Cite book |first1=Bernd|last1=Kortmann|first2=Edgar |last2=Schneider |first3=Kate|last3=Burridge | author3-link = Kate Burridge|first4=Rajend|last4=Mesthrie|first5=Clive |last5=Upton| author5-link = Clive Upton
|publisher=Berlin: [[Mouton de Gruyter]] |title=A handbook of varieties of English |year=2004|isbn= 978-3-11-017532-5}}
* {{citation|title=2013 Census QuickStats |date=2013 |publisher=[[Statistics New Zealand]] |isbn=978-0-478-40864-5}}

== External links ==
* [http://archive.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/population_clock.aspx New Zealand's population clock] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221084629/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/population_clock.aspx |date=21 February 2020 }}

{{CIA World Factbook}}
{{New Zealand topics}}
{{Immigration to New Zealand}}
{{Oceania topic|Demographics of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of New Zealand}}
[[Category:Demographics of New Zealand| ]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Immigration to New Zealand]]