Story: King Country region

Land area

• King Country: 9,550 sq km
• New Zealand: 268,690 sq km

Climate

(National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research data, 1971–2000)

Taumarunui

• Mean temperature, January: 18.3°C
• Mean temperature, July: 7.5°C
• Mean annual rainfall: 1,517 mm
• Mean annual sunshine: 1,629 hours

Total population, 2006

• King Country: 27,225
• New Zealand: 4,027,947

Ethnic affiliation, 2006

European

• King Country: 64.9%
• New Zealand: 67.6%

New Zealander¹

• King Country: 10.6%
• New Zealand: 11.1%

Māori

• King Country: 35.2%
• New Zealand: 14.6%

Pacific Island

• King Country: 1.9%
• New Zealand: 6.9%

Asian (including Indian)

• King Country: 1.5%
• New Zealand: 9.2%

Principal tribes and sub-tribes

Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi

Population of major urban areas, 2006

• Taumarunui : 5,052
• Te Kūiti: 4,419

Age distribution, 2006

Under 15

• King Country: 25.1%
• New Zealand: 21.5%

15–64

• King Country: 63.3%
• New Zealand: 66.2%

65 and over

• King Country: 11.5%
• New Zealand: 12.3%

Employment by industry, 2006

(Figures are for workers aged 15 and over, in selected industries in which the region’s employment pattern is most distinctive)

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

• King Country: 30.1%
• New Zealand: 6.8%

Wholesale trade

• King Country: 2.1%
• New Zealand: 5.0%

Finance and insurance

• King Country: 1.1%
• New Zealand: 3.2%

Health care

• King Country: 5.2%
• New Zealand: 8.1%

Unemployment, 2006

• King Country: 4.7%
• New Zealand: 5.1%

Livestock numbers, 2007²

Sheep

• King Country: 2,629,243
• New Zealand: 38,460,477

Dairy cattle

• King Country: 233,783
• New Zealand: 5,260,850

Beef cattle

• King Country: 361,937
• New Zealand: 4,393.617