lows generally ranging from 0-8 degrees. Depressions experience regular morning fog, under anticyclonic conditions, which burns off by late morning to produce many still, clear sunny days. Morning frosts are also common during winter anticyclones. Another distinctive feature is the low average wind speed in the interior basin due to the sheltering influence of the hills and mountains to the west and south-west. The prevailing winter wind is from the south-west. The Waikato has very high sunshine hours by world standards, averaging 2200 hours per year or about 40% higher than in the UK. This results in rapid growth of grass, crops and ornamental plants. Demographics Waikato Region covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Waikato Region had a population of 458,202 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 54,561 people (13.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 77,379 people (20.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 162,927 households. There were 226,386 males and 231,816 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 37.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 96,765 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 90,342 (19.7%) aged 15 to 29, 198,063 (43.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 73,032 (15.9%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 74.4% European/Pākehā, 23.9% Māori, 4.5% Pacific peoples, 9.5% Asian, and 2.3% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The proportion of people born overseas was 19.5%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 50.6% had no religion, 34.8% were Christian, 1.7% were Hindu, 0.9% were Muslim, 0.8% were Buddhist and 4.1% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 67,560 (18.7%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 71,901 (19.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $30,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 55,953 people (15.5%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 176,901 (48.9%) people were employed full-time, 53,970 (14.9%) were part-time, and 15,660 (4.3%) were unemployed. Cities and towns The largest city in the Waikato Region is Hamilton, with an urban population of . It is home to the University of Waikato and the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). Other major towns in the region are Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Taupō