Fragmented Urban Spaces? Ethnic Residential Areas in New Zealand Cities, 1996

Residential segregation of ethnic groups is a major feature of cities in multi‐cultural societies such as New Zealand's. Measuring the degree of segregation has been the focus of much attention over the last half century, but there are difficulties with comparative studies using most of the measures adopted. An alternative procedure which classifies residential areas according to a homogeneity‐heterogeneity continuum is applied here to 1996 census small‐scale data for each of New Zealand's 33 main urban areas, to identify the degree of segregation of various ethnic groups. It reports that most New Zealanders from all ethnic groups (defined by self‐identity) live in mixed rather than exclusive residential areas. The main ethnic enclaves/ghettos are occupied by Maori and Pacific Islanders, and are entirely concentrated in the North Island, especially in urban areas which have substantial Polynesian populations.