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About Pacific peoples in New Zealand
New Zealand’s Pacific people are a dynamic and diverse group.
By 2026, it is projected that Pacific people will be 10% of the population, compared to 6.5 % in 2001. The Pacific population in New Zealand will produce an increasing portion of the nation’s births, its student body, workforce, taxpayer base, voters and consumers of both public and private goods and services.
Who are Pacific peoples?
Pacific people in New Zealand are represented by at least 13 distinct languages and cultural groups. The Pacific population includes people born in the Pacific Islands and in New Zealand.
The many Pacific ethnicities are represented primarily by Samoan, Cook Islands, Tongan, Niuean, Fijian and Tokelauan groups, with smaller numbers from Tuvalu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and the small island states of Micronesia.
Majority now born in New Zealand
The Pacific community in New Zealand, numbering 265,974 at Census 2006, has diverse origins. Migration to New Zealand has been significant since the 1950s. Today more than 60% of New Zealanders who define themselves as part of the Pacific community were born in New Zealand and are growing up here.
Ethnic groups
This New Zealand-based Pacific population consists of a number of diverse ethnic communities.
Samoans are the largest group - nearly 50%.- Cook Islanders are next at 20% then
- Tongan 18% and
- Niuean 8% and
- Fijians are the smaller group at 4%.
Pacific people here have high rates of inter-marriage with other New Zealanders – including Pakeha and Maori. Pacific communities are not static – they are changing and redefining themselves.
Urban living
Pacific people live largely in urban centres in the North Island.
- Two-thirds of Pacific people live in the Auckland region (67%), with the next largest Pacific population groups living in
- the Wellington region (13%) and
- Waikato region (4%)
In the South Island, 4% of the Pacific population lives within the Canterbury region.
Northern Region
The largest Pacific population in the world resides in Auckland. Click here to view a profile of Pacific people in the Northern Region
The importance of successful Pacific people to the ongoing economic and social development of the Auckland region underpins our focus on work in the Northern Region. For more details see our 'Auckland Pacific Strategy' (PDF)
Central Region
Click here to view a profile of Pacific people in the Central Region.
Southern Region
Click here to view a profile of Pacific people in the Southern Region.
Young population
Of particular importance is the youthfulness of the Pacific population, with 38% (100,344 people) aged under 15 years. Their median age is 21.1 years compared to 35.9 years for the New Zealand population overall. In 15–20 years one in five New Zealand children will be Pacific. In the younger (15–39) workforce Pacific people will be one in eight.
Read more about the demographics of Pacific people living in New Zealand.
Pacific Island Governments
Pacific Island Government websites:
- The Government of the Cook Islands
- Fiji Government Online
- Government of Niue
- Samoa Government
- Office of the Governor American Samoa
- Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau
- Tonga Government
- Government of the Republic of Vanuatu
In New Zealand:
Contact Pacific nations' embassies and diplomats in New Zealand.
