WELLINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's population grew an estimated 100,400 in the year ended June 2017, 72,300 of which came from net migration, with more people arriving than leaving the country to live, the country's statistics department Stats NZ said on Tuesday.
New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland, is still the country's fastest-growing region, but Northland and Waikato, both in the North Island, are close behind, Stats NZ said.
"We're seeing high growth in our big cities, but also in the areas surrounding them, driven by migration," population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said in a statement. Waikato is 147 kilometers south of Auckland.
The populations of both Northland and Waikato grew 2.4 percent over the past year, compared with Auckland's 2.6 percent, Stats NZ said, adding that Auckland's population grew 42,700 to 1.66 million, with 28,900 more people arriving than leaving.
In the June 2017 year, half of New Zealand's population growth was in the 15-39-year age group due to the impact of migration, the department said, adding that about two-thirds of the gain from net migration this year was in this age range.
The population growth in this age group has affected regional age structures, where five of the regions with the highest net migration either had a stable or decreasing median age in the last year, it said.
Tasman in the South Island had the highest median age of the 16 regions, at 46.1 years in 2017, Stats NZ said, adding that in contrast, Auckland had the lowest median age, with half the population under 33.9 years.
In the June 2017 year, the West Coast in the South Island was the only region with a declining population, the statement said, adding that its population fell from 33,100 in 2012 to 32,500 in 2016, and decreased further to 32,400 in 2017, which was due to departures exceeding the combined gains from arrivals and natural increase.
