Wellington: New Zealand s ethnic Asian population is expected to grow faster than any other group, almost doubling in the next 20 years, government officials said today.

Government statistician Geoff Bascand said the country's Asian population was expected to grow 3.4 per cent a year, rising from about 400,000 in 2006 to 790,000 by 2026.

Asians will make up an estimated 16 per cent of the New Zealand population by 2026,up from 10 per cent in 2006. "The relatively rapid growth of the Asian population is mainly driven by migration, with a net inflow of about 240,000 migrants assumed over the 20-year projection period," Bascand said.

Among other major ethnic groups, the European population was projected to grow at an annual rate of 0.3 per cent from 3.21 million to 3.43 million in the same period. Maori numbers were expected to grow by 1.4 per cent a year to 820,000 and Pacific islanders by 2.4 per cent annually to 480,000.

The 2006 census showed 148,000 ethnic Chinese made up the biggest nationality amongst Asian ethnic groups, followed by 105,000 Indians. The other significant groups were Koreans, Filipinos, Japanese, Sri Lankans and Cambodians, Statistics New Zealand said.

The number of Asians has been growing rapidly in New Zealand, rising 50 per cent in the five years to 2006.

Source : PTI