29 May 2006
First Results from 2006 Census Released
The number of people counted in New Zealand on census night was 4,116,900, Statistics New Zealand said today. This is
the first information available from the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings, held on 7 March 2006. This provisional
count is based on information from census collectors about the numbers of forms delivered and collected. Statistics NZ
will release final population and dwelling counts, which are based on information processed from census forms, in late
November 2006.
Government Statistician Brian Pink thanked the people of New Zealand for their participation in the census and noted
that again there were excellent levels of public good will and cooperation. The 2006 Census provisional count indicates
an increase of 296,150 people (7.8 percent) since the 2001 Census, and compares with an increase of 139,203 (3.8
percent) between the 1996 and 2001 censuses.
Based on the provisional count, 75 percent of people were in the North Island on census night, where the number
increased by 231,820 (8.1 percent) to 3,102,500. 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 percent). Once visitors
are excluded from the count, the census usually resident population count of the South Island is likely to be less than
one million.
While all regions showed increases, the region with the greatest growth since 2001 was Auckland, where the provisional
census night population count increased by 145,060 (12.4 percent) to 1,318,700.
The territorial authority with the greatest growth was Queenstown-Lakes District, with a provisional increase of 29.2
percent in the census night population since the 2001 Census. The provisional number of occupied dwellings in New
Zealand on census night was 1,469,700. This was an increase of 101,500 (7.4 percent) compared with the 2001 Census. This
compares with a 6.6 percent increase between 1996 and 2001 censuses.
The provisional census count provides only an indication of the number of people that Statistics NZ believes to have
been in different local authority areas on census night.
These counts include overseas visitors but exclude New Zealand residents temporarily overseas on census night. While the
trends in these figures are generally consistent with published population estimates based on the 2001 Census, for
planning purposes users of the population data should continue to use the population estimates. In late November,
Statistics NZ will release the full range of data from the 2006 Census.
This 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 in which they usually live.
Brian Pink
Government Statistician
ENDS