KEY POINTS:
The South Island's population has topped one million for the first time.
An estimated 1,008,400 people were recorded living in the South Island at June 30 this year, Statistics New Zealand said today.
This is a 1 per cent increase (9600 people) from June last year.
The Queenstown-Lakes District had the highest population growth rate of any of New Zealand's 73 territorial authorities, with an increase of 5.5 per cent.
Selwyn District took second place with a 4.0 per cent increase. Waimakariri District, Central Otago District, Ashburton District and Christchurch City also had growth rates above the national average of 1.0 per cent.
The population of the North Island increased by 1.1 per cent (33,800 people) to reach 3,219,000.
Auckland is the fastest growing of New Zealand's 16 regions - a region is made up of territorial authorities - with a population increase of 1.7 per cent (23,000 people).
The figures showed 76 out of every 100 New Zealand residents live in the North Island.
- NZPA
