New Zealand's sheep are losing the numbers game
The sheep-to-people ratio is falling fast as the flock shrinks and the population grows. The chart uses placeholder data until the real Stats NZ series is added.
Placeholder dataIllustrative numbers only. Not real statistics yet, so please do not quote us at the pub.
Warming up the dots...
In words: Placeholder data: the ratio of sheep to people in New Zealand rises to a peak around 1970 to 1980 and then falls steadily to 2020, as sheep numbers drop and the population grows.
View the data as a table (for the sceptics)
| year | sheep millions | people millions |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 45 | 2.4 |
| 1970 | 60 | 2.8 |
| 1980 | 70 | 3.1 |
| 1990 | 58 | 3.4 |
| 2000 | 45 | 3.9 |
| 2010 | 32 | 4.4 |
| 2020 | 26 | 5.1 |
Through the early decades the flock grows faster than the population.
Then the ratio turns. Fewer sheep, more people.
By the most recent year the gap has closed a long way.
The full story is still being written. Until the real numbers arrive, treat this chart like a sketch on a napkin. The sheep are not available for comment.
TODO Replace with Stats NZ sheep numbers (Agricultural Production Statistics) and Stats NZ estimated resident population.
Source: Placeholder data, to be replaced by Stats NZ. Retrieved: Not yet retrieved. Licence: To be confirmed on the source page. Data and notes.