Description

Refer to the current geographies boundaries table for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.

This dataset is the definitive version of the meshblock boundaries concorded to higher geographies as at 1 January 2026. This version contains 57,575 meshblocks, including 16 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised meshblocks).

Statistical geographies introduced since 2018 are:

2018: statistical area 1 (SA1), statistical area 2 (SA2), urban rural (UR), urban rural indicator (IUR) as part of the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA18) which replaced the 1992 New Zealand Standard Areas Classification (NZSAC92),

2020: urban accessibility indicator (IUA),

2021: functional urban area (FUA), functional urban area indicator (IFUA), functional urban area type (TFUA),

2023: statistical area 3 (SA3).

The higher geographies contained in this concordance are:

• meshblock (MB), landwater (LANDWATER),

• statistical area 1 (SA1),

• statistical area 2 (SA2),

• statistical area 3 (SA3),

• urban rural (UR), urban rural indicator (IUR),

• urban accessibility indicator (IUA),

• territorial authority (TA), territorial authority and local board (TALB),

• regional council (REGC),

• constituency (CON), Mâori constituency (MCON),

• ward (WARD), Mâori ward (MWARD),

• community board (CB), subdivision (TASUB)

• area square kilometers (AREA_SQ_KM), land area square kilometers (LAND_AREA_SQ_KM).

Lineage

These boundaries are derived from the meshblock pattern. Using spatial processing tools, the meshblocks are dissolved to form higher-level geographies.

The original vertices delineating the meshblock boundary pattern were digitised in 1991 from 1:5,000 scale urban maps and 1:50,000 scale rural maps. The magnitude of error of the original digital points would have been in the range of +/- 10 metres in urban areas and +/- 25 metres in rural areas. Where meshblock boundaries coincide with cadastral boundaries the magnitude of error will be within the range of 1–5 metres in urban areas and 1–100 metres in rural areas, this being the estimated magnitude of error in Landonline.

High-definition version

This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics.

Liability

While care has been taken to compile these boundary coordinates, Stats NZ gives no warranty that the data supplied is free from error. Stats NZ shall not be liable for any loss suffered through the use, directly or indirectly, of any information, product or service.

Macrons

Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

Digital data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.

Further information

To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz