Story: Southland region

(Includes Stewart Island)

Land area

• Southland: 34,347 sq km
• New Zealand: 268, 690 sq km

Climate (Invercargill)

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

• Mean temperature, January: 14.0°C
• Mean temperature, July: 5.2°C
• Mean annual rainfall: 1,112 mm
• Mean annual sunshine: 1,614 hours

Total population, 2006

• Southland: 90,876
• New Zealand: 4,027,947

Ethnic affiliation, 2006

(Multiple responses allowed)

European

• Southland: 78.6%
• New Zealand: 67.6%

New Zealander ¹

• Southland: 15.7%
• New Zealand: 11.1%

Māori

• Southland: 11.8%
• New Zealand: 14.6%

Pacific Island

• Southland: 1.7%
• New Zealand: 6.9%

Asian (including Indian)

• Southland: 1.3%
• New Zealand: 9.2%

Principal tribes and sub-tribes

Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha

Population of major urban area, 2006

Invercargill: 46,779

Age distribution, 2006

Under 15

• Southland: 21.2%
• New Zealand: 21.5%

15–64

• Southland: 64.9%
• New Zealand: 66.2%

65 and over

• Southland: 13.9%
• 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

• Southland: 18.6%
• New Zealand: 6.8%

Manufacturing

• Southland: 14.6%
• New Zealand: 11.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services

• Southland: 3.9%
• New Zealand: 7.8%

Unemployment, 2006

• Southland: 4.0%
• New Zealand: 5.1%

Livestock numbers, 2007

Sheep

• Southland: 5,662,387
• New Zealand: 38,460,477

Dairy cattle

• Southland: 432,642
• New Zealand: 5,260,850

Beef cattle

• Southland: 207,588
• New Zealand: 4,393,617