The
Reasons for Population Change
Key Points
- Net
migration rather than natural increase has been
the major cause of the City’s recent
population expansion.
- Total
fertility rates are again declining after a
temporary resurgence during the late 1980s and
early 1990s.
- Lower
fertility will lead to progressively fewer
children in the City’s population next
century.
- Lower
mortality at late-working and retirement ages in
addition to a reduction in mortality at younger
age groups has lead to a general improvement in
life expectancy.
- Increases
in life expectancy and the movement of the large
baby boom generation into retirement ages means
there will be more elderly people living in
Christchurch in the future.
- While the
majority of population movement is within the
City, there are significant flows of residents to
and from other parts of New Zealand.
- Although
the rate of growth has slowed during the past
year, net migration to Christchurch still remains
high.
- In recent
years, the largest net gain to the City from
external migration has been from Malaysia (1,584
people) followed by Japan (1,359 people), Taiwan
(1,109 people) and Korea (1,038 people).
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The demographic outlook
for Christchurch has changed markedly in recent years in line
with national trends. Major influences include lower birth rates,
significant increases in life expectancy, continuing ageing of
the population and changes in the migration balance. The
following section provides information on the factors which are
contributing to demographic change in Christchurch.
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