Population growth slower last year

1.00pm

The New Zealand population continues to grow but at a slower rate, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.

At March 31 the population was estimated at 4,054,200, SNZ said in a statement.

"In the March 2004 year, the estimated population growth was 56,700 (1.4 per cent), which was lower than the growth of 68,400 (1.7 per cent) recorded in the March 2003 year."

However, the increase last year was still higher than the average annual increase for the past decade -- 1.2 per cent a year, or 44,500.

A net gain from permanent and long-term migration accounted for almost half of last year's population growth. Fifty one per cent of the population growth was due to natural increase -- an excess of births over deaths.

New Zealanders aged 65 years and over remained the age group with the highest population growth, SNZ said. There were an estimated 484,800 in that age group on March 31, and in the past decade numbers in the 65-plus age group grew by 70,800 -- 17.1 per cent.

- NZPA