New Zealand at a glance

17 February 2015

New Zealand’s population is younger and growing faster than those of the biggest visitors to our shores, according to Statistics New Zealand’s latest yearly review of the country.

The just-released New Zealand in Profile: 2015 shows our population is growing at 1.52 percent a year. That’s faster than Australia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, which are the top five countries for people visiting New Zealand.

Of those, Australia had the next fastest-growing population at 1.09 percent a year, while Germany’s is declining at a rate of 0.18 percent.

Other highlights show that while an average white loaf of bread costs the same today as five years ago at $1.80, a 400ml glass of beer’s gone up from $4.78 to $5.87 in the same time.

New Zealand in Profile offers a picture of life in Aotearoa and is useful for people looking to learn more about the country. It has an overview of New Zealand’s people, economy, and government.

“We know people looking at moving to New Zealand want to know about the cost of housing and basic essentials, how much they might earn, and what the main industries are. We also know that for people who already live here, it’s useful to have a one-off snapshot of statistics about the country,” Deputy Government Statistician Colin Lynch said.

“And while the consumers price index provides important information for big business decisions, at a personal level it’s just interesting to know that a piece of fish and a scoop of chips is 59 cents more expensive than five years ago.”

New Zealand in Profile is available in English and in te reo Māori. It is produced with support from Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

Read New Zealand in Profile: 2015 online, or get it from libraries, schools, or other public places. You can also order printed copies online, request it by email from info@stats.govt.nz, or call 0508 525 525.

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