There were 265,974 people who identified themselves as Pacific in the 2006 Census, representing around seven percent of the total population. This is an increase of 15 percent (34,173) since the 2001 Census.
Statistics NZ
2006 & 2001 Censuses
Pacific ethnic groups
Samoans are the largest group at 131,103, accounting for nearly every second Pacific person. The next largest group is Cook Islanders 58,011 (20 percent), then Tongan 50,478 (18 percent), Niuean 22,476 (8 percent), Fijian 9,864 (4 percent), and Tokelauan 6,819 (2%). Increasingly Pacific people identify with more than one ethnicity.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
NZ vs overseas born
Of the Pacific population in New Zealand, 60 percent are New Zealand-born. Two in every five born overseas have been here more than 20 years.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Age structure (NZ vs overseas born)
Eighty-one percent (46,126) of the Pacific population under 15 were born in New Zealand and 19 percent (10,651) were born overseas. Eighty-nine percent (16,390) of the Pacific population under five were born in New Zealand compared with 11 percent (1,937) born overseas. Of Pacific people 70 and over, 99 percent (5,215) were born overseas compared with only one percent (65) born in New Zealand.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Key regions
One in three of all Pacific people lives in Manukau City. The next largest population centre is Auckland City (50,166), followed by Waitakere City (26,823), Porirua City (12,267) and Canterbury (10,926).
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Young population
Thirty-eight percent of Pacific peoples (100,344 people) were under 15 in 2006. The comparable figure for the overall population is 22 percent. The median age for Pacific people in 2006 was 21 compared with 35 for the total population.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Young population by key ethnicities
Close to two in every five or 38 percent of Samoans (49,962 of 131,103) were under 15 in 2006. Forty-two percent of Tongans (21,315 of 50,478), 41 percent of Cook Islanders (23,712 of 57,921), 40 percent of Niueans (8,925 of 22,476), 42 percent of Tokelauans (2,865 of 6,822) and 32 percent of Fijians (3,171 of 9,864) were under 15 in 2006.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Gender
The gender distribution of the total Pacific population was almost evenly distributed with males making up 49 percent and females 51 percent. The comparable figure for the total New Zealand population was the same.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Sole ethnicity
Three in every five or 61 percent (171,999) of the Pacific population identified with only one ethnic group. Sixty-six percent (86,763) of Samoans identified with only one ethnicity, 53 percent (30,756) of Cook Islanders, 71 percent (35,601) of Tongans, 41 percent (9,180) of Niueans, 48 percent (4,752) of Fijians, 43 percent (2,958) of Tokelauans and 76 percent (1,989) of Tuvaluans identified with only one ethnicity.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Multiple ethnicity
Thirty-six percent (100,086) of the total Pacific population identified with more than one ethnic group. Thirty-six percent (39,762) of Samoans identified with more than one ethnicity, 47 percent (27,252) of Cook Islanders, 26 percent (13,017) of Tongans, 52 percent (11,613) of Niueans, 45 percent (4,434) of Fijians, 50 percent (3,432)of Tokelauans, and 22 percent (576) of Tuvaluans identified with more than one ethnicity.
Statistics NZ
2006 Census
Pacific and Maori by age group
Fifty-six percent (148,752 of 265,974) of the Pacific population were under 25 compared with 53 percent (301,230 of 565,329) of the Maori population. Twenty-six percent (68,445 of 265,974) of the Pacific population were under 10 compared with 24 percent (133,200 of 565,329) of the Maori population.
