Bay of Plenty European and 14.6% identifying themselves as Māori. Other ethnic groups were under-represented in the region: 14.9% of the regional population was born overseas, compared with 22.9% nationally. English is the most widely spoken language. Te Reo Māori is the most common minority language, spoken by 9.6% of the population, compared with 4.1% nationally. The Bay of Plenty has a temperate, maritime climate, with warm, humid summers and mild winters. It is one of the warmest regions in New Zealand, particularly along the coastline, and most areas experience at least 2,200 hours of sunshine per annum. Average daily maximum temperatures range
Bay of Plenty is emerging as a major regional source of electricity. Tourism is the other notable industry, accounting for 15% of the region's GDP from March 2000 to 2004. Overall economic growth in the Bay of Plenty averaged 2.1% between March 2000 and 2004, compared with the national rate of 3.5%, although per capita real GDP growth in the five years to March 2003 matched the national growth rate at an averaged 2.3%. In the 2006 Census, the median annual income was $22,600, below the national median of $24,400. Further, 45.4% of people aged 15 years or older earned an annual income