The fastest-declining regions of New Zealand are Auckland and the West Coast, new figures from Statistics NZ show.
Between June last year and 2022, the two regions' populations declined by 0.5 percent. The three other regions that saw population declines in the same period were Nelson (down 0.4 percent), Southland (0.1 pct) and Wellington (0.04 pct).
Northland had the biggest increase in population of the 16 regions - up 1.3 percent to 201,500. However, that was lower than the 2.2 percent growth it recorded last year.
"While two-thirds of regions experienced population growth in the past year, for most regions this growth was lower than in 2021," said Rebekah Hennessey, Stats NZ's population estimates and projections acting manager.
Looking at territorial authorities, the data showed the biggest growth happened in Selwyn (up 4.8 percent in a year), Chatham Islands (3.3 pct) and central Otago (2.7 pct).
New Zealand's total population was now 5,122,400, having only grown 0.2 percent in the year to June.
"Slowing regional growth reflects what is happening nationally, particularly annual net migration loss, partly due to the impact of COVID-19 on international migration," Hennessey said. "This net migration loss was combined with the lowest natural increase since World War II."
New Zealand posted a net migration loss of 11,500 permanent and long-term residents in the year to June, data showed.
Meanwhile, the total population of people aged 65-plus stood at 16 percent.
Two regions - West Coast and Marlborough - recorded more deaths than births in the year to June.
"These regions have more older people, with 23 percent of their population aged 65 years and over," Stats NZ said.
According to the data, women continued to outnumber men 2,580,200 v 2,542,200 in New Zealand. Kiwi men have not outnumbered women since the 1960s.
