3. Definition of Terms
Terms have been defined to assist in analysis of the size and scope of the population to be serviced.
Consistent definitions of the terms "rural" and "urban" are not available across the various sources of statistical and other information available. The term "small" is also open to interpretation.
Only "Urban Towns" in the 1996 Census below 9,000 people in size were considered. The analysis in this report was then based on an arbitrary division of these towns into two categories - those with a population of 800 or more; and those with less than 800 people.
| Population Range | Definition |
|---|
| 100 - 799 people | Rural Town |
| 800 - 9,000 people | Small Urban Town |
Sub-division of these categories has been used in places where more detailed analysis is required.
Note that some "rural" areas also contain communities that are similar in size and attributes to the Rural Towns categorised, but are not identified as such in the Statistics New Zealand data.
Back to Top