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 Rugby Union has 38 local clubs under affiliated with them and three sub-unions to be part of. The Baywide competition runs for 20–21 weeks and split to four stages: The 38 clubs are split into three sub-unions, the Central, Eastern and Western Sub-Unions. There are ten clubs in the Central Bay of Plenty sub-union. There are 14 clubs in the Eastern Bay of Plenty sub-union. There are 13 clubs in the Western Bay of Plenty sub-union. Stage One runs for 6–7 weeks, clubs are put into their respective sub-unions and complete a local competition. 24 teams are put into 2 sections with