Bay of Plenty Census, the total resident population of the Bay of Plenty region was 257,379, an increase of 7.5% from 2001. The Bay of Plenty is the fifth-most populous region in New Zealand, accounting for 6.4% of the national population. The regional population is projected to increase to 277,900 by the year 2011. The median age in the Bay of Plenty was 37.2 years; 23.0% of the population were under 15 years of age, while 14.8% of people were aged 65 years or over. The male-to-female ratio was 0.94. The coast is dotted with several sizable settlements, the largest of which is
Lake Rotoiti (Bay of Plenty) divert the nutrient rich waters of Lake Rotorua into the Kaituna River was completed in late 2008. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council expected to see improvement in lake water quality within five years and the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Program reported in 2013 that the intervention has significantly improved water quality. Water quality is the highest it has been in decades, on track to meet targets set by the Program to meet community expectations. Lake Rotoiti has thermal hot-spring baths on the southern shore which are accessible by boat. Lake Rotoiti (Bay of Plenty) Lake Rotoiti is a lake