Band 9: The table below shows information about the population of New Zealand from 2011 to 2012 by age group. Summarize the formation by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

The table illustrates data regarding the population of New Zealand across five distinct age brackets between 2011 and 2012.

Overall, it is clear that New Zealand’s total population experienced a marginal increase during the one-year period. It is also noticeable that while the older demographics saw an upward trend, with the elderly group growing the fastest, the younger age segments witnessed slight declines.

Looking at the details, the total population of all ages rose by 0.6%, climbing from 4,381,269 in 2011 to 4,410,284 in 2012. The largest population segment, individuals aged 15 to 39, decreased marginally by 0.2% from 1,577,256 to 1,574,102. An identical downward trend of -0.2% was observed in the ‘Under 15’ group, which dropped slightly from 898,160 to 896,364.

In contrast, the older age categories experienced growth. The population of citizens aged 40-64 increased by 0.6% to reach 1,339,898 in 2012. The most significant shift occurred in the oldest cohort (65 and over); despite being the smallest group in terms of numbers, its population surged by 4.0%, rising from 573,946 to 596,903