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Story: Death rates and life expectancy

Percentage of deaths at different ages, Māori and non-Māori, 1886–2006

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These graphs illustrate the epidemiological transition for Māori and non-Māori by showing the percentage of people dying at different stages of life. Early in the transition many people die in childhood. Gradually the age of death for the majority increases, until most people die in old age.

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Ian Pool and Jit Cheung, using Statistics New Zealand data

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How to cite this page

Ian Pool, Death rates and life expectancy – New Zealand epidemiological transitions, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/26571/percentage-of-deaths-at-different-ages-maori-and-non-maori-1886-2006 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ian Pool, published 19 April 2011.