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 statistical area 1 (SA1) boundaries as at 1 January 2026, as defined by Stats NZ. This version contains 33,170 SA1s (33,154 digitised and 16 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised)).

SA1 is an output geography that allows the release of more low-level data than is available at the meshblock level. Built by joining meshblocks, SA1s have an ideal size range of 100–200 residents, and a maximum population of about 500. This is to minimise suppression of population data in multivariate statistics tables.

The SA1 should:

form a contiguous cluster of one or more meshblocks,

be either urban, rural, or water in character,

be small enough to:

• allow flexibility for aggregation to other statistical geographies,

• allow users to aggregate areas into their own defined communities of interest,

form a nested hierarchy with statistical output geographies and administrative boundaries. It must:

• be built from meshblocks,

• either define or aggregate to define SA2s, urban rural areas, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

SA1s generally have a population of 100–200 residents, with some exceptions:

• SA1s with nil or nominal resident populations are created to represent remote mainland areas, unpopulated islands, inland water, inlets, or oceanic areas.

• Some SA1s in remote rural areas and urban industrial or business areas have fewer than 100 residents.

• Some SA1s that contain apartment blocks, retirement villages, and large non-residential facilities (prisons, boarding schools, etc.) have more than 500 residents.

SA1 numbering

SA1s are not named. SA1 codes have seven digits starting with a ‘7’ and are numbered approximately north to south. Non-digitised codes start with 79.

As new SA1s are created, they are given the next available numeric code. If the composition of an SA1 changes through splitting or amalgamating different meshblocks, the SA1 is given a new code. The previous code no longer exists within that version and future versions of the SA1 classification.

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.

Digitised and non-digitised SA1s

The digital geographic boundaries are defined and maintained by Stats NZ.

Aggregated from meshblocks, SA1s cover the land area of New Zealand, the water area to the 12-mile limit, the Chatham Islands, Kermadec Islands, sub-Antarctic islands, off-shore oil rigs, and Ross Dependency. The following 16 SA1s are held in non-digitised form.

7999901; New Zealand Economic Zone, 7999902; Oceanic Kermadec Islands,7999903; Kermadec Islands, 7999904; Oceanic Oil Rig Taranaki,7999905; Oceanic Campbell Island, 7999906; Campbell Island, 7999907; Oceanic Oil Rig Southland, 7999908; Oceanic Auckland Islands, 7999909; Auckland Islands, 7999910; Oceanic Bounty Islands, 7999911; Bounty Islands, 7999912; Oceanic Snares Islands, 7999913; Snares Islands, 7999914; Oceanic Antipodes Islands, 7999915; Antipodes Islands, 7999916; Ross Dependency.

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