It's not quite two girls for every guy, but Statistic NZ's latest population total gives females the edge in numbers.

Population growth has seen a healthy increase but at the lowest rate since 2000.

Updated projections indicate continued growth of New Zealand's broad and overlapping European, Māori, Asian, and Pacific populations, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Under the updated 2006-base national ethnic population projections:

- The 'European or Other (including New Zealander)' population is projected to increase by an average of 0.4 percent a year from 3.21 million in
2006 to 3.47 million in 2026.

- The Māori population by 1.3 percent a year from 620,000 to 810,000;

The average New Zealander is older than ever before, according to the latest Statistics New Zealand estimated resident population results.

New Zealand’s population grew by 46,900 in the June 2009 year to reach 4,315,800 people, a 1.1% increase for the year.

The population growth for the June 2009 year resulted from a natural increase (excess of births over deaths) of 34,400 and a net permanent and long-term migration gain of 12,500.

The level of net permanent and long-term migration was the highest for a June year since 2004 when it was 22,000.