New Zealand urban area

Statistics New Zealand defines urban areas of New Zealand for statistical purposes (they have no administrative or legal basis). The urban areas comprise cities, towns and other conurbations (an aggregation of urban settlements) of a thousand people or more. In combination, the urban areas of the country constitute New Zealand's urban population. At the 2001 census, the urban population made up 86% of New Zealand's total population.

There are three classes of urban area:

Statistics New Zealand also defines rural centres with a population of 300 to 999 people. While these do not fit the standard international definition of an urban population, they serve to distinguish between true rural dwellers and those in rural settlements or towns.

The current placement of urban areas into the three classes is based on populations at the 2013 census, and does not reflect population changes since then. Placements are revised after every census.

The population figures shown are Statistics New Zealand's resident population estimates at the June 2016. For rankings in various criteria see the ranked list of New Zealand urban areas. Four main urban areas are subdivided into urban zones. The following cities are listed by location from north to south.

The population figures shown are Statistics New Zealand's resident population estimates at the June 2016. The following towns are listed by location from north to south.

Original classification

No change

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