NZ: Fewer People Aged Under 15 Years

The resident population of New Zealand was 4,084,200 at 31 December 2004, according to the latest population estimates released by Statistics New Zealand.

The population aged under 15 years decreased by 1,800 (0.2 percent), from 884,300 at 31 December 2003 to 882,600 at 31 December 2004.

In the December 2004 year, the population growth was estimated to be 44,800 (1.1 percent), compared with 63,500 (1.6 percent) in the December 2003 year. The population growth in the December 2004 year is marginally higher than the average annual increase of 43,600 (1.1 percent) for the December years from 1994 to 2004.

The lower population growth during the December 2004 year was due to a fall in permanent and long-term migration. Permanent and long-term arrivals exceeded departures by 15,100 (34 percent of the population growth) in the December 2004 year, whereas in the December 2003 year the net migration gain was 34,900 (55 percent of the population growth).

Natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) was 29,700 in the December 2004 year, an increase of 1,100 compared with the December 2003 year.

The population aged 65 years and over (65+) grew by 72,600 (17.3 percent) over the last decade, to reach 491,600 at 31 December 2004. The largest population growth in this category over the last decade was in the 90 years and over age group, at 66.2 percent.

The 80–89 year and 65–79 year age groups grew by 35.8 and 11.2 percent, respectively, during the same period. The 65+ age group accounted for 12.0 percent of the population at 31 December 2004.

The working-age population (15–64 years), which accounted for 66.4 percent of the population in the December 2004 year, was estimated to be 2,710,100 at 31 December 2004.

This is an increase of 322,200 (13.5 percent) compared with the December 1994 year. The population aged under 15 years grew by 41,200 (4.9 percent) during the same decade, to reach 882,600 at 31 December 2004.

At 31 December 2004, half the New Zealand female population was over the age of 36.2 years and half the New Zealand male population was over the age of 34.5 years. The median age has increased by 3.1 years for women and 2.8 years for men between the December 1994 and 2004 years.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician

Email: demography@stats.govt.nz