Series
New Zealand Subnational Abridged Period Life Tables
en-NZRegional Life Tables, Subnational abridged period life tables
en-NZSubnational abridged period life tables show the mortality experience of people in a specific time period. These life tables are typically produced every five years for regional councils and territorial authorities, for male and female populations. In 2012–14 ethnic life tables for regional council areas, and life tables by deprivation index were also produced.
Life tables are a basic demographic tool for analysing mortality and survival. They are a tabular numerical representation of death and survivorship rates at each age of life.
The life tables are based on death rates during a specific period, and such tables are called period, current, or cross-sectional life tables.
Period life tables are based on the age-specific death rates of the population during a specific period of time.
Life expectancy is a summary measure of those age-specific death rates, but it is a hypothetical life expectancy assuming people experience the age-specific death rates of that period over their lifetime.
In addition, life tables also provide other indicators describing the mortality within a population during a given period of time: death probabilities, survival probabilities, survivors at specific ages and years of life lived.
en-NZLife tables are widely used for descriptive and analytical purposes in demography, public health, epidemiology, population geography, biology and many other branches of science. For example, life tables are widely used for the purpose of calculating premiums for life insurance and annuities.
en-NZ
1994
Abridged life tables were first produced for regional council areas (regions) for the period 1990–92.
Period: 1990–92
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1):Census usually resident population count for each area at 5 March 1991.
1996
Population concept used in the calculation of mortality rates changed from 'de facto' to 'resident'.
The population concept used for population estimates and projections changed from de facto to resident.
- The de facto population includes all persons in New Zealand at a given time. It includes overseas visitors, but excludes residents temporarily overseas and net census undercount.
- The estimated resident population includes the estimated net census undercount and the estimated number of residents temporarily absent overseas, but does not include overseas visitors.
Resident population estimates do not show the quarterly fluctuations that de facto estimates are subject to because of seasonal changes in the numbers of overseas visitors temporarily in New Zealand, and changes in the numbers of New Zealand residents temporarily out of New Zealand.
1998
Regional life tables for the 1995–97 period were published (although these have now been revised).
2009
Abridged life tables for 16 regional council areas for 1995–97 to 2005–07 was released.
Abridged life tables for 40 selected territorial authority areas for 2000–02 and 2005–07, and 39 territorial authority areas for 1995–97 released.
Period: 1995–97
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 1996 revised (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 5 March 1996).
Period: 1995–97 revised
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 1996 revised (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 5 March 1996).
Period: 2000–02
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 2001 (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 6 March 2001).
Period: 2005–07
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 2005 (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 7 March 2005).
Period: 2012–14
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand of people resident in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 2013 (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 5 March 2013).
Revised historical series using new methods (statistical modeling) and geographic boundaries. Released 2005–07 and 2012–14 ethnic (Māori, non-Māori, Pacific, Asian, European or Other) life tables for regional council areas; all territorial authority and Auckland local board life tables; and life tables by deprivation index (NZDep13) for the first time.
(1) For more information on different population concepts and measures refer to:
- Population counts and estimates overview
- Population counts and estimates fact sheet
- Population Terms Standard
Period: 2017–2019
Death measure: Deaths registered in New Zealand in each area.
Population measure (1): Estimated resident population of each area at 30 June 2018 (based on the usually resident population count of each area at 6 March 2018).
Released 2017–2019 ethnic (Māori, non-Māori, Pacific, Asian, European or Other, total) life tables for regional council areas and district health boards; territorial authority and Auckland local board life tables; NZ life tables by deprivation index (NZDep18); and DHB life tables by NZDpe18.
- Statistics New Zealand
- Insurance and actuarial companies
- Ministry of Health
- Health planners
- Social researchers
Most life tables are period life tables which commence with a hypothetical group of newborn babies, and assume that they experience the observed mortality rates of a given period throughout their life.
The derived life expectancies give an indication of the average longevity of the population but do not necessarily reflect the longevity of an individual.
Abridged life tables were produced for selected territorial authority areas for 1995–97 to 2005–07, where death numbers were sufficient to produce reliable life tables. Due to the introduction of new methods in 2012–14, life tables for all territorial authority areas and Auckland local boards were released in 2012–14 and a revised historical series based on new geographic boundaries and methods was made available.
Because life tables could not be reliably produced for many subnational areas, standardised death rates (SDRs) were derived for all regional council and territorial authority areas for the periods 1995–97 to 2005–07. Nevertheless, because of fluctuations in death and population numbers, and the migration of people between geographic areas, all subnational mortality measures should be interpreted with caution.
As with life tables, SDRs allow for the different age-sex composition of each area. However, deriving SDRs is less sensitive than life tables to age groups with zero deaths.
To minimise annual fluctuations in mortality rates, the mortality measures are calculated for a three-year period. Nevertheless, all subnational mortality and longevity trends should be interpreted with caution.
Death and population numbers can fluctuate from period to period. In addition, the stated residence of the deceased may not reflect the geographic area(s) where that person spent most of their life.
It should be noted that data from the abridged life tables may differ from data from the complete life tables.
- Five-yearly
