Story: West Coast region

Page 15. Facts and figures

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Land area

  • West Coast: 23,336 sq km
  • New Zealand: 268,690 sq km

Climate

(National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research data, 1981–2010)

Westport

  • Mean temperature, January: 16.3°C
  • Mean temperature, July: 8.7°C
  • Mean annual rainfall: 2,121 mm
  • Mean annual sunshine: 1,838 hours

Hokitika

  • Mean temperature, January: 15.6°C
  • Mean temperature, July: 7.4°C
  • Mean annual rainfall: 2,900 mm
  • Mean annual sunshine: 1,890 hours

Total population, 2006 and 2013

  • West Coast: 31,326 (2006); 32,148 (2013)
  • New Zealand: 4,027,947 (2006); 4,242,051 (2013)

Ethnic affiliation, 2013

(Multiple responses allowed)

European

  • West Coast: 91.2%
  • New Zealand: 74.0%

Māori

  • West Coast: 10.5%
  • New Zealand: 14.9%

Pacific Island

  • West Coast: 1.0%
  • New Zealand: 7.4%

Asian (including Indian)

  • West Coast: 2.2%
  • New Zealand: 11.8%

Middle Eastern, Latin American, African

  • West Coast: 0.4%
  • New Zealand: 1.2%

Principal tribe

Poutini Ngāi Tahu

Population of major urban areas, 2013

  • Greymouth: 9,654

Age distribution, 2013

Under 15

  • West Coast: 19.1%
  • New Zealand: 20.4%

15–64

  • West Coast: 64.8%
  • New Zealand: 65.3%

65 and over

  • West Coast: 16.1%
  • New Zealand: 14.3%

Employment by industry, 2013

(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

  • West Coast: 8.1%
  • New Zealand: 5.7%

Mining

  • West Coast: 8.5%
  • New Zealand: 0.3%

Accommodation and food services

  • West Coast: 11.1%
  • New Zealand: 6.9%

Unemployment, 2013

  • West Coast: 4.7%
  • New Zealand: 7.1%

Livestock numbers, 2012

Sheep

  • West Coast: 31,465
  • New Zealand: 31,262,715

Dairy cattle

  • West Coast: 173,651
  • New Zealand: 6,445,681

Beef cattle

  • West Coast: 29,002
  • New Zealand: 3,734,412
Footnotes:
  1. The category ‘New Zealander’ was introduced in the 2006 census. › Back
How to cite this page:

Simon Nathan, 'West Coast region - Facts and figures', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/west-coast-region/page-15 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Simon Nathan, published 23 Feb 2009, updated 1 Sep 2016