Total population
147,570[1]
Regions with significant populations
Auckland, Wellington
Language(s)
New Zealand English, Chinese languages, others
Religion(s)
Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, others
Related ethnic groups
Chinese Australian, Chinese diaspora
A Chinese New Zealander ?Traditional Chinese: ?????? Simplified Chinese: ??????? is a New Zealander of Chinese heritage. They are part of the ethnic Chinese diaspora (or Overseas Chinese). Chinese New Zealanders are the fifth largest ethnic group in New Zealand.
The first records of ethnic Chinese in New Zealand were the immigrants from Guangdong Province, who arrived during the 1860s goldrush era. Due to this influx, there is a strong Chinese presence in Dunedin, whose current mayor Peter Chin is of Chinese descent. Chinese New Zealanders may broadly be defined into two categories; the earlier generation, and recent or temporary migrants that have arrived since the 1980s.
At the last census in 2006, Chinese New Zealanders accounted for 3.7% of the total population, the largest Asian ethnic group in New Zealand (approx 42% of all Asian New Zealanders). As at the 2001 Census, 75% of Chinese in New Zealand were born overseas. In 2002, the New Zealand Government publicly apologised to the Chinese for the poll tax that had been levied on their ancestors a century ago