Auckland (AAP) - Record levels of migration into New Zealand have seen the country's population grow the largest amount ever in a year.
Statistics New Zealand says the total population for the 12 months to June 30 was up by 97,000 people, about 2.1 per cent, the highest ever annual growth.
"The last time we experienced population growth over 2 per cent was in 1974," population statistics senior manager Jo-Anne Skinner said.
"And before that, at the peak of the baby boom in the 1950s and early 1960s."
Stats NZ said the growth was driven by record levels of international migration - with 69,000 net migrants.
That was made up of 125,100 arriving in the country and only 56,000 leaving.
Natural births and deaths also made up a growth of 28,200.
"To put this in context, the average annual net migration over the last decade has been 21,800 and average annual natural increase has been 32,300," Stats NZ said.
