Why is North Island more populated than South Island?

I'd say it's mainly because of Auckland. It's our largest city so naturally attracts more and more people. High levels of immigration haven't helped. Wellington is the capital city so has a natural attaction for some business plus the political crowds.



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Generally speaking, if you want to engage with city culture or explore Maori history, the North Island is for you. If you want to deep-dive into nature, the South Island has plenty of lakes, mountains, fjords, and glaciers to discover.

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The major population centres in New Zealand are: Auckland City (1,571,700 people) Christchurch City (369,000 people) Wellington City (202,700 people)

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The South Island is very different from the North Island. For starters it's larger than the North Island and generally considered more beautiful. It also has gorgeous coastline, though it's best known for the many mountains and fjords that define its inland.

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New Zealand sits on two tectonic plates - the Pacific and the Australian. Fifteen of these gigantic moving chunks of crust make up the Earth's surface. The North Island and some parts of the South Island sit on the Australian Plate, while the rest of the South Island sits on the Pacific.

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Mostly mountainous or steep hills, volcanic peaks in the central North Island, and fiords in the far south west. New Zealand's landscapes range from the fiords of the southern-west to the sandy beaches of the subtropical Far North.

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The average cost of living in New Zealand for a single person per month, not including rent, is USD$815-$1,000. For a family of four, it's USD$2,950-$3,600 per month. The rental costs will depend on which city you decide to move to, and whether you live in the city center or a bit further out.

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Ophir, a quaint and historic gold mining town, 114kms from Queenstown in New Zealand's Central Otago Reigon, has the unenviable reputation of being New Zealand's coldest town.

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It's a no-brainer that if you are travelling to New Zealand for more than a couple of weeks, you should visit both islands! Yet, with limited time off work and/or a limited budget, you may have no other choice than to make the most of either the North Island or South Island. One island isn't “better” than the other.

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In terms of population distribution, 85.7% of Maori live in the North Island and 14.2% live in the South Island. The Chatham Islands has the highest concentration of Maori people at 66.1%, followed by the Wairoa District (65.7%), Opotiki District (63.7%), Kawerau District (61.7%) and Gisborne District (52.9%).

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