Population
Southland is one of New Zealand’s most sparsely populated regions with its population of 94,900 (June 2012 estimate). Due to a “drift north” between 1996 to 2001, Southland’s population declined by 6.3% though this has since dropped to 0.1% as of 2006. Invercargill, the region’s main centre and seat of local government, makes up half of Southland’s population with a population of 52,000. Six other centres have populations over 1,000: Gore, Mataura, Winton, Riverton, Bluff and Te Anau. Most of Southland’s population is concentrated on the eastern Southland Plains with Fiordland almost totally devoid of permanent human settlement.
Approximately 94.3% of population has European lineage with most being of Scottish stock due to the longtime Scottish presence in the early 19th century. Māori comprise about 10% of the population and are largely concentrated around the port of Bluff. During the 1940s, the development of the freezing works boosted a short-term immigration to the region by North Island Māori. Compared to other parts of New Zealand, Pacific Islanders and Asians are under-represented.
Read more about this topic: Southland Region
Famous quotes containing the word population:
“The population question is the real riddle of the sphinx, to which no political Oedipus has as yet found the answer. In view of the ravages of the terrible monster over-multiplication, all other riddle sink into insignificance.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)