Parts of New Zealand are sinking at faster rates than others and rising faster, a scientist says.

The just-published tectonic research provides new information about how different parts of New Zealand are either rising or subsiding in relation to the centre of the earth.

Data was collected by GeoNet's GPS recorders between 2000 and 2015, and the first map has been produced of relative vertical movements of the Earth's surface based on measurements at 189 places across the country.

Analysis of the data shows that parts of New Zealand, like the North Island's east coast, have subsided by as much as 3mm a year for the past 15 years.

This means this region is effectively subjected to a maximum sea level rise of up to 6mm a year, which is twice the global average.

Co-author Professor Tim Stern, of Victoria University's School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, said other parts of New Zealand were rising.

"For example, along parts of the Bay of Plenty coast, the Whanganui coast and south to the Kapiti region, and along the Otago, Westland and Southland coastlines, there are small rises of 1mm per year or less."

This meant sea level rise in these areas would be less than the global average.

"The data also show inland areas of the South Island and the Southern Alps are rising by up to 6mm per year, while in the Rotorua area there is a remarkable subsidence rate of 15 mm per year.

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