Asian birth rates are expected to outstrip both Maori and European

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

NZ's Asian population expected to reach 790,000 by 2026
12:19PM Wednesday April 02, 2008
Asian birth rates are expected to outstrip both Maori and European over the next 20 years, says

New Zealand's Asian population is expected to grow faster than any other, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Government statistician Geoff Bascand said the four main ethnic populations - Maori, Pacific, Asian and European - would all increase but those who identify themselves as Asian would grow the most.

A projected increase of 3.4 per cent a year would take the Asian population from 400,000 in 2006 to 790,000 by 2026.

Mr Bascand said the European population was projected to grow by 0.3 per cent a year from 3.21 million to 3.43 million in the same time period.

Maori numbers were expected to grow by 1.4 per cent a year for 20 years, taking the total Maori population to 820,000 by 2026.

The Pacific population would grow by 2.4 per cent to reach 480,000, Mr Bascand said.

The rapid growth of the Asian population was driven by migration, he said.

The growth of the Maori and Pacific populations would be driven by births due to higher fertility rates and a young age structure.


Mr Bascand said it was the opposite for the European population.

"The projections indicate the proportion of New Zealand's population that identifies with a European or Other ethnicity will drop from 77 per cent in 2006 to 69 per cent in 2026."

Sixteen per cent of the total population was expected to identify with Asian ethnicity by 2026.

- NZPA