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AUCKLAND - NEW ZEALAND
Auckland in the North Island of
New Zealand is the largest metropolitan area in the South
Pacific Ocean. It is known in Maori as Tamaki Makau Rau or
Akarana.
At 37 degrees south latitude, Auckland is bounded by the
Hauraki Gulf of the Pacific Ocean to the east, low ranges to
the south-east, the Manukau Harbour to the south-west, and
the Waitakere Ranges and smaller ranges to the west and
north-west. Key geographical features are the Whangaparaoa
Peninsula which juts into the Hauraki Gulf, the Waitemata
Harbour, which opens to the Hauraki Gulf and the Manukau
Harbour which opens to the Tasman Sea on the west coast. The
central part of Auckland is located on a narrow isthmus
between the two harbours.
Volcanoes
Auckland is built on the volcanoes of the Auckland Volcanic Field. The
approximately 48 volcanoes take the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands
and depressions. Some of the cones have been partly or completely quarried
away. The volcanoes are all individually extinct although the volcanic field
itself is merely dormant. The most recent and by far the largest volcano is
Rangitoto Island which formed within the last 1000 years. Its size, its
symmetry, its position guarding the entrance to the Waitemata Harbour and
its visibility from many parts of the Auckland region make it Auckland's
most iconic natural feature.
Climate
The city's climate is warm-temperate, with warm summers and slightly cooler
but lengthy winters. January temperatures average 21-24 °C. (February and
March are typically warmer than January, however), and July temperatures
average 14-16 °C. High levels of rainfall occur almost year-round (over
1000mm per year), especially in winter.
People
The majority of inhabitants (roughly 60%) are of European—predominantly
British—descent, but there are also substantial Maori and Pacific Island
communities. In fact, Auckland is described as the largest Polynesian city
in the world. Comparably-sized communities of people of East Asian origin
also live in Auckland, due to New Zealand's world-leading level of
immigration, which primarily flows into Auckland. Ethnic groups from all
corners of the world have a presence in Auckland, making it by far the
country's most cosmopolitan city.
Aucklanders and other New Zealanders have a mostly light-hearted 'love-hate'
relationship. Stereotypically Aucklanders view parts of the country 'south
of the Bombay Hills' as provincial and unsophisticated, while the rest of
the country sees them as brash and arrogant. (The Bombay Hills are the hills
over which State Highway 1 runs south out of Auckland to the Waikato region).
The term Jaffa, or Jafa, is used as a (mostly) joking term of abuse towards
Aucklanders.
Cities and districts
The Auckland urban area lies within the Auckland Region territorial
authority. It is spread over seven City or District territorial authorities.
They are Rodney District and North Shore City in the north, Waitakere City
in the west, Auckland City in the centre, and Manukau City, Papakura
District and Franklin District in the south. Many of these Cities and
Districts also include rural land.
The name "Auckland" also applies to wider areas, such as the Land District (used
in property registration) and the 19th century provincial district.
Landmark
Auckland's Sky Tower is the tallest free standing structure in the Southern
Hemisphere at 328 metres.
Airports
Auckland International Airport, the country's largest airport, is located
beside the Manukau Harbour, in the southern suburb of Mangere. There are
also ongoing negotiations regarding the development of a second airport from
Whenuapai, a disused military airbase in the north-west.
The Birth of Auckland
After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in early 1840 the new governor,
William Hobson, was faced with the task of choosing a capital for the colony.
At the time the effective capital was Kororareka, now called Old Russell, in
the Bay of Islands. However, Kororareka was very remote from the rest of the
country and had a notorious reputation for drunkenness and immorality.
The obvious choice even then was probably Port Nicholson. Centrally situated
at the south of the North Island, close to the South Island, and growing
fast, it had a lot to commend it. But it was a settlement built by and
dominated by the New Zealand Company and the Wakefield brothers. Furthermore,
it already had a bad reputation with the Maori for unscrupulous or even
illegal occupation of land.
On the initial recommendation of the missionary Henry Williams, and
supported by the Surveyor General, Felton Mathew, Hobson selected the south
side of the Waitemata Harbour as his capital. The necessary land was soon
purchased from the Ngati Whatua owners by the Chief Magistrate, Captain
William Symonds, and the foundation ceremony took place at 1pm, 18 September
1840, probably on the higher ground at the top end of what is now Queen
Street.
From the outset there was a steady flow of new arrivals from within New
Zealand and from overseas. From early times the eastern side of the
settlement was reserved for government officials while mechanics and
artisans, the so-called unofficial settlers, were directed to the western
side. This social division still persists in modern Auckland.
Loss of capital status
Eventually the capital did move to Port Nicholson, since renamed Wellington.
The advantages of a central position became even more obvious as the South
Island grew in prosperity with the discovery of gold in Otago, and the
development of sheepfarming and refrigeration.
Parliament met for the first time in Wellington in 1862. In 1868 Government
House moved there too.
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