Download What is ethnicity? - Statistics New Zealand

Activity handout – 2013 Census activities
What is ethnicity?
Ethnicity is defined as ‘the ethnic group or groups that people identify with or feel they belong to.
Ethnicity is a measure of cultural affiliation as opposed to race, ancestry, nationality, or
citizenship. Ethnicity is self-perceived and people can belong to more than one group.’
New Zealand population
By country of birth
2006 Census
Country of birth
Number
Oceania and Antarctica
Percentage of
New Zealand
population
198,597
5.2
Australia
62,742
1.6
Cook Islands
14,697
0.4
Fiji
37,746
1.0
Samoa
50,649
1.3
Tonga
20,520
0.5
Other Oceania and Antarctica
12,243
0.3
251,130
6.5
78,117
2.0
7,683
0.2
India
43,341
1.1
Korea, Republic of
28,806
0.8
Malaysia
14,547
0.4
Taiwan
10.764
0.3
Other Asia
67,869
1.8
319,755
8.3
(excl. New Zealand)
Asia
China, People's Republic of
Hong Kong (SAR)
Europe
United Kingdom and Ireland
251,688
6.6
Netherlands
22,104
0.6
Other Europe
45,966
1.2
34,383
0.9
United States of America
17,748
0.5
Other Americas
16,632
0.4
75,651
2.0
South Africa
41,676
1.1
Other Africa and Middle East
33,975
0.9
879,546
22.9
New Zealand-born
2,960,217
77.1
Total
3,839,760
100.0
Americas
Africa and Middle East
Overseas-born
What is ethnicity?
1
www.stats.govt.nz/schools-corner-census
Activity handout – 2013 Census activities
1. Use the table to make a bar graph showing the countries of birth for the population of New
Zealand.
2. Compare the graph below with the one you have made. Do they look the same? Are they
displaying the same information? Explain the differences.
New Zealand population by ethnic group
2006
70
Percent
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
European
Mäori
Pacific peoples
Asian
MELAA
(1)
(2)
Other ethnicity
Ethnic group
1. Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African (MELAA) was introduced as a new category for the
2006 Census.
2. Other ethnicity includes responses for a number of small ethnic groups and for 'New Zealander'. For
2006, 'New Zealander' responses made the largest contribution towards the 'Other ethnicity' category.
Note: Totals may sum to more than 100 percent because people can belong to more than one ethnicity.
Source: Statistics New Zealand
What is ethnicity?
2
www.stats.govt.nz/schools-corner-census