Fact for the day.

New Zealand’s population will reach four million at approximately 5:30pm on Thursday 24 April 2003, Statistics New Zealand says.

Government Statistician Brian Pink said it was a significant event for New Zealand.

“It has taken nearly 30 years to reach this milestone, after reaching three million in 1973,” Pink said.

New Zealand’s population is estimated to increase by one person every 6 minutes and 48 seconds.

In 1908, New Zealand had a population of one million people, then two million in 1952 and three million in 1973.

Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says nearly all of the population growth from three to four million was due to a natural increase – an excess of births over deaths.

Migration did not contribute significantly to the growth.

But SNZ says lower birth rates and an ageing population mean that the population is likely to grow at a slower pace in the future.

The latest predictions indicate that the population is unlikely to reach five million, unless New Zealand’s birthrate or net migration increases.

The population is currently projected to peak at 4.81 million in 2046.