Band 9: Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. 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. You should write at least 150 words.

The table presents statistics on the demographics of New Zealand from 2011 to 2012, categorized into four age groups.

Overall, compared to other groups, the category of individuals aged 40 and above experienced the most significant increase, rising by 6%. Meanwhile, the percentage of younger individuals declined slightly. Over the 12-month period, the country saw growth in its population, though the proportions across age groups fluctuated rather than remaining stable.

It is evident from the table that the total number of citizens under the age of 15 decreased by 0.2%, reaching 896,364 in 2012. The second group, which was nearly half larger than the first, also experienced a slight decline, dropping from 1,577,256 in 2011 to 1,574,102 in 2012. Collectively, individuals under 40 years of age constituted the majority of New Zealand’s population, yet their overall percentage diminished during this period.

In contrast, individuals aged 40 and above represented the second-largest age group, and their numbers grew by 0.6% over the one-year span. The final category, those aged 65 and older, was the smallest but showed the most significant growth, increasing by 40%. This translated to an addition of nearly 23,000 elderly citizens to the population.