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
Bay of Plenty freight. The hub of regional economic activity is the Port of Tauranga, with well-established rail and road connections to other parts of the region. Three commercial airports also operate in the Bay of Plenty: Tauranga Airport, Rotorua Airport and Whakatane Airport. Car travel remains the dominant form of transport in the region. In 2002, the number of vehicles owned in the region was 189,000, with an average of 1.51 vehicles per household. Public transport bus services exist only in Tauranga and Rotorua. Significant growth in the Western Bay of Plenty District has seen increased strain on road infrastructure, particularly with