The population of Auckland and Canterbury has grown more quickly than the rest of the country in the past year.
Statistics New Zealand said that in the 12 months to June, Auckland's population grew by 34,000 or 2.3 per cent, while Canterbury's grew by 11,400 or 2 per cent. The national average growth rate was 1.5 per cent.
Most regions experienced population growth in the past year, due largely to an increase in New Zealand's net gain from permanent and long-term migration, which grew from 7900 in the June 2013 year to 38,300 in the June 2014 year.
"New Zealand experienced a rise in net migration in the June 2014 year because of more people arriving and fewer people leaving the country on a permanent or long-term basis," population statistics manager Vina Cullum said.
"The rise in net migration, together with natural increase, has bolstered population growth in most of New Zealand's regions."
