New Zealand regional GDP and per capita

The New Zealand Parliamentary Library Monthly Economic Review – April 2025 looked at Stats New Zealand recently published Regional Gross Domestic Product for the Year Ended March 2024 – nominal GDP therefore not adjusted for inflation. The total GDP for the Year Ended March 2024 in New Zealand was $415bn. See graphs below for regional and per capita. Some of the main points from it include:

• Auckland contributed the largest share, making up 38% of New Zealand’s nominal GDP.

• The South Island accounted for 22.5%, with Canterbury responsible for 55.4% of that.

• North Island GDP was $79,420 (72.5%)

• New Zealand GDP per capital $78,233. Wellington had the highest GDP per capita at $92,776, followed by Auckland at $88,355.

• Taranaki, which held the top spot for GDP per capita from 2007 to 2019 (excluding 2017), has now fallen to third place.

• Marlbourgh and Taranaki have 1.1% and 2.7% of NZ GDP but have the third and fourth highest GDP per capital – $85,362 and $84,296 respectively

• Northland and Gisborne have the lowest GDP per capita at $54,796 and $55,326

A good exercise with your class is to get them to match the figures with the area of New Zealand.

For more on GDP view the key notes (accompanied by fully coloured diagrams/models) on elearneconomics that will assist students to understand concepts and terms for external examinations, assignments or topic tests.