# New Zealand: some quick stats



## Song_Si

Stats and stats . . .while they do not give any indication of 'what is New Zealand like" they do give a picture of "how it is", and how different some parts of the country are to each other.

Note:_ the last NZ census was held in 2006; the scheduled 2011 Census was not held on 8 March 2011 as planned, due to the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February 2011. The next New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings will be held in March 2013._

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Firstly, some geography

NZ has a land area of *270,467 square kilometres*

by comparison:

USA 9,629,091
Australia 7,692,024
Italy 301,336
United Kingdom 242,900
Ireland 70,273	

so, 'one UK and half an Ireland'; but with a lot less people

more countries here

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Estimated resident population of New Zealand at time of writing *4,407,615* - the Population Clock (updates automatically)

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The _'Realm of New Zealand_' comprises:
New Zealand

Tokelau - a non-self-governing territory that uses the New Zealand flag and anthem, but is administered by a council of three elders (one from each Tokelauan atoll).
Ross Dependency - New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica, where it operates the Scott Base research facility
Cook Islands
Niue

The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand. The New Zealand Parliament cannot pass legislation for these countries, but with their consent can act on behalf of them in foreign affairs and defence. 

New Zealand citizenship law treats all parts of the realm equally, so most people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency before 2006 are New Zealand citizens. Further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards.


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## Song_Si

*Ethnic groups, birthplace and languages spoken*

these figures are just 'snapshots', and remember, from 2006 so I've used only percentages rather than numbers.

I wasn't aware that over a third of the people in Auckland region were born overseas, nearly double the NZ average; for people considering the move to NZ - you'll hardly feel the 'odd one out' especially if you go to a major city, with so many people having been born in another country.









The cultural mix in NZ overall - as well as the people who identify as being of European or New Zealand descent, there are: Maori 14.6%, Pacific peoples 6.9%, Asian 9.2%

22.9 percent of people in New Zealand were born overseas; the most common birthplace was England.

Apart from English, the next most common language spoken in New Zealand is Māori, which is spoken by 4.1 percent of people.
but, in the Auckland region, apart from English, the next most common language is Samoan, which is spoken by 4.8 percent of people.

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*Auckland Region* - has 32.4% of New Zealand's population.

The cultural mix is significantly different to the NZ average, as well as the people who identify as being of European or New Zealand descent, there are: Maori 11.2%, Pacific peoples 14.2%, Asian 19%

37.0 percent of people in Auckland Region were born overseas, compared with 22.9 percent for New Zealand as a whole, and for people born overseas who are now living in Auckland Region, the most common birthplace was England

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*Wellington Region* - has 11.1% of New Zealand's population (450,000 in the region, approx 200,000 in Wellington City).

As the country's capital city and seat of government it is the base for most NZ government departments, Government administration contributes to around 11 per cent of Wellington jobs and economy.


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## Song_Si

*On the land*

TREES: 30% of New Zealand's land is forested. Forestry accounts for 12% of New Zealand's exports. This is expected to increase as more plantations mature. 

CATTLE: New Zealand is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world. The top five countries supply around 90 percent of dairy products on the international market. There are over nine million beef and dairy cattle in NZ. 

SHEEP: From the early 1980s, when NZ was home to over 70 million sheep, the population has declined to around 39 million in 2008. This means the oft-quoted statistic, that NZ has 20 sheep for each human, is wrong! Nowadays it's only about 9 to 1. This decline hasn't stopped NZ from cornering 50% of all international trade in sheepmeat. 

Unlike the human population, the majority of New Zealand's sheep are based on the South Island, where there are more than 20 sheep for every human

MOUNTAINS: the mountain chain of the Southern Alps is larger than the French, Austrian and Swiss Alps combined, and the volcano region of the North Island. New Zealand's (and Australasia's) highest mountain is Aoraki Mount Cook. It is 3,754 metres (12,316 ft) high. 

LAKES: New Zealand's largest lake is Lake Taupo, extending to 616 square kilometres (or 238 sq miles). This makes it almost identical in size to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia and slightly smaller than Singapore. Lake Taupo formed in the crater left behind after a supervolcano erupted 26,500 years ago.









Farmland and Mount Taranaki​


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## sawah

Great post ....


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## Song_Si

stats, and more stats . . . 

*Older brides*
New Zealanders are getting married older. The latest statistics show that the median ages of men and women marrying for the first time is 29.9 and 28.1 years. These brides and grooms married, on average, nine years older than their parents did.









*Olympic gold*
New Zealand has won more Olympic gold medals a head than any other country.








2008: New Zealand athletes with the spoils from this country�s most successful single day ever at the Olympics, from left: Hayden Roulston, Mahe Drysdale, Georgina Evers-Swindell, George Bridgewater, Valerie Vili, Nathan Twaddle, Caroline Evers-Swindell.

*Golf swings*
Measured by club memberships, golf is the most popular sport in New Zealand, followed by netball.









*Curious Kea*
The kea, native to New Zealand, likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows.









Kea in a tv advert

*The sea, the sea*
No part of New Zealand is more than 128km (80 miles) from the sea.










*Pipebands galore *
There are more Scottish pipe bands per head of population in New Zealand than in Scotland.










*Big readers*
New Zealand has more book-shops per head of population than any other country; one for every 7500 people.









*Trout heaven*
More rainbow trout in the 2kg to 3kg category are caught annually in New Zealand than in the rest of the world put together.








Note: The general trout season in New Zealand is October through April. However, the Tongariro River stays open year round and fishes well May-September.

_Facts sourced from Statistics New Zealand, Strange Facts & True About New Zealand, Guinness World records, The Kiwi Site and the ENZ New Zealand Immigration Guide.
(from NZ Herald 2006)_


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## Canuck2Kiwi

Love these little tidbits. Keep them coming!


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## NZ_Migrant

2.5 million cars for four million people, including children, New Zealand's car ownership rate is one of the world's highest.

New Zealanders make only about 2% of their journeys by bus and fewer than 1% by rail.

Casualty rates for 2009 were:

1.2 deaths per 10,000 vehicles
45 injuries per 10,000 vehicles
8.9 deaths per 100,000 population
337 injuries per 100,000 population

Source: Ministry of Transport


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