New Zealand had the highest number of suicides in 10 years in 2016, according to the latest provisional data released by the Ministry of Health.

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The data shows 553 people died by suicide in 2016, the highest number of suicides in New Zealand between 2007-2016.

It was up from 529 in 2015, and 510 in 2014.

Males were the most represented in the figures, with 412 committing suicide in 2016, compared to 141 females.

Numbers for Maori were also high, with 135 deaths - 99 of which were male.

The rate of Maori who died by suicide was 20.3 per 100,000, with non-Maori at 9.5 per 100,000.

Young people aged 15-24 had the highest rate of suicide, with 16.8 per 100,000, while the rate among people aged 25-44 was 16.3 per 100,000.

The Ministry of Health says overall the rate of suicides remained relatively stable in this 10-year period.

The suicide rate decreased from 12.3 per 100,000 in 2007, to 11.3 per 100,000 in 2016.