According to the most recent estimation, the population of the North Island is 3,922,000 as of June 2020. Since the conclusion of the Goldrush in the 180s on the North Island, New Zealand's European population growth has increased due to the northern drift from the South Island, which was the most popular destination due to its mountainous region and gold deposits. The northern drift was largely prevalent in the late 19th century but continues at a slower rate in the 21st century. North Island has a much smaller population when compared to the more famous South island, but grows at a slightly faster rate. This is because North Island has a natural increase due to a higher birth and fertility rate and international migration flow.
The last census of culture and identity was conducted by New Zealand officials in 2018, where 65.7% of North Islanders identified as of European ethnicity. The remaining ethnic groups are largely concentrated in Maori, Asian, and Pacific Islander cultures. The proportion of North Islanders born overseas in other areas is nearly 30%, making up a large number of the diaspora. The most common foreign countries for those of North Island descent are England, China, and India.
North Island is one of the two main islands of the country of New Zealand, which is separated from the much larger South Island. Even though it is larger geographically, the population of South Island is smaller than North Island. North Island holds 77% of the population of New Zealand. Although it has been considered the North Island for many years, in 2009 the Geographic Board of New Zealand determined that the South and North islands have no official name, and must be given a proper name rather than their coordinates with each other. The board officially named the Island Te Ika-a-Maui in October 2013.
The Maori name for North Island, Te Ika-a-Maui, is due to the Maori legend and mythology about the demigod, Maui. This character is the basis for many stories within the culture, but it has been popularized by Disney around the world with the tale of Moana. The demigod Maui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe, which was the entire South Island. Maui and his brothers had caught a large fish and struggled to pull it up from the sea. Once the huge sea creature was lifted, it was left to drift on the surface of the ocean. The brothers had chopped up the fish when Maui wasn't looking, which became North Island. The name Te Ika-a-Maui translates to the fish of Maui. The mountains and valleys are viewed as imperfections from the chopping and hacking into the fish.
The North and South Islands were once one large land mass. At that time, the region of North island was covered in forest and thorn scrubland, while today it is much like a subtropical rainforest.