National Ethnic Population Projections: 2001 (base) - 2021 update

The following highlights are based on Series 6 (which assumes medium fertility, mortality, net migration and inter-ethnic mobility) for each ethnic group:

• New Zealand will have greater ethnic diversity in the future. The Māori, Asian and Pacific populations are all projected to increase their share of New Zealand's population.
• New Zealand's European population is projected to reach 3.23 million by 2021, an increase of 150,000 or 5 percent over the estimated resident population at 30 June 2001 of 3.07 million.
• New Zealand's Māori population is projected to reach 760,000 by 2021, an increase of 170,000 or 29 percent over the 2001 figure of 590,000.
• New Zealand's Asian population is projected to reach 670,000 by 2021, an increase of 390,000 or 145 percent over the 2001 figure of 270,000.
• New Zealand's Pacific population is projected to reach 420,000 by 2021, an increase of 160,000 or 59 percent over the 2001 figure of 260,000.