Northland Te Tai Tokerau (Māori) |
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Country: | New Zealand |
Regional council | |
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Name: | Northland Regional Council |
Motto: | Putting Northland First |
Seat and largest city: | Whangarei |
Chair: | Bill Shepherd |
Deputy chair: | Graeme Ramsey |
Population: | 171,400 June 2016 |
Land area: | 13,789 km2 |
Indigenous iwi: |
Ngāi Takoto, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Wai, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa Te Roroa |
Website: | http://www.nrc.govt.nz |
Cities and towns | |
Cities: | Whangarei |
Towns: | Kaitaia, Kaeo, Kawakawa, Moerewa, Kaikohe, Ohaeawai, Okaihau, Kerikeri, Russell, Paihia, Waitangi, Mangonui, Taipa, Opononi, Omapere, Rawene, Kohukohu, Ruakaka, Waipu, Kaiwaka, Mangawhai, Dargaville, Ruawai, Maungaturoto, Paparoa, Hikurangi |
Constituent territorial authorities | |
Names: | Far North District, Kaipara District, Whangarei District |
Northland
Te Tai Tokerau (Māori)
Ngāi Takoto, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Wai, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa Te Roroa
The Northland Region or Te Tai Tokerau (also Te Hiku-o-te-Ika, meaning "the Tail of the Fish" (of Māui)) (Māori) is the northernmost of New Zealand's 16 local government regions. New Zealanders often call it the Far North, or, because of its mild climate, the Winterless North. The main population centre is the city of Whangarei and the largest town is Kerikeri.
The Northland Region occupies the northern 80% (265 kilometres) of the 330 kilometre-long Northland Peninsula, the southernmost part of which is in the Auckland Region. Stretching from a line where the peninsula narrows to a width of just 15 kilometres a little north of the town of Wellsford, Northland Region extends north to the tip of the Northland Peninsula, covering an area of 13,940 km2, a little over five per cent of the country's total area. It is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The land is predominantly rolling hill country. Farming and forestry occupy over half of the land, and are two of the region's main industries.
Although many of the region's kauri forests were felled during the 19th century, some areas still exist where this rare giant grows tall. New Zealand's largest tree, Tane Mahuta, stands in the Waipoua Forest south of the Hokianga Harbour.