NZ population now 4.1 million

Despite the lure of lower taxes across the Tasman, and falling birth rates, New Zealand's population growth rate has more than doubled since the last census.

The number of people counted in New Zealand on census night, March 7, was 4,116,900, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Government statistician Brian Pink said the Census 2006 provisional count indicated an increase of 296,150 (7.8 per cent) since the 2001 Census, and compared with an increase of 139,203 (3.8 per cent) between the 1996 and 2001 censuses.

While all regions showed increases, the Auckland region recorded the highest growth: an increase of 145,060 (12.4 per cent) to 1,318,700.

Queenstown-Lakes District recorded the most massive growth for a territorial authority, with a 29.2 per cent increase since the 2001 Census.

For the first time, the number of people in the South Island on census night exceeded one million, with a provisional count of 1,013,800 - an increase of 64,530 (6.8 per cent).

However, once visitors were excluded from the count, the usual resident population was likely to be less than one million.

In late November, Statistics New Zealand will release the full range of data from the 2006 Census, which will include the usually resident population counts, in which the people who were in New Zealand but away from home on census night are allocated back to the area they usually live.

- NZPA