KEY POINTS:
The population is creeping higher on the back of a rise in the number of births, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.
The population has now reached 4,262,900 - an increase of 40,200 from the end of March 2007.
Statistician Geoff Bascand said the extra numbers during the March 2008 year was mainly due to a natural increase (excess of births over deaths) of 35,500.
However, the population increased at a slower rate in the March 2008 year compared with the previous year, because of a fall in net migration.
Permanent and long-term arrivals exceeded departures by 4700 in the latest year, down from a net migration gain of 12,100 in the March 2007 year.
At March 31, the median age for males was 35.4 years and the median age for the females 37.1 years.
The SNZ figures showed the rate of population growth was highest in the 65 years and over age group at 2.4 percent, followed by a 1.0 percent increase for the 15-64 year age group.
The number of children aged zero to 14 years-old increased 0.1 percent in the same period.
- NZPA
