Auckland Tāmaki-makau-rau (Māori)
—  Main urban area  —
Auckland CBD skyline from Devonport
Nickname: City of Sails, Queen City (now rarely used)[1]
Coordinates ([2]): 36°51′S 174°47′E / -36.85, 174.783
Country	New Zealand
Region	Auckland
Territorial authorities	Auckland City Manukau City Waitakere City North Shore City Papakura District
Settled	~ 1350 (early Maori)
	~ 1840 (first Europeans)
Government
- Mayor(s)	Multiple John Banks Len Brown Bob Harvey John Law Andrew Williams
Area
- Main urban area	1,086 km² (419. Statistics New Zealand defines New Zealand urban areas for statistical purposes The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The region is the top tier of Local government in New Zealand. Geography On the mainland the region extends from the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour in the north across the southern stretches of the North Auckland Peninsula Territorial authorities are the second tier of Local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. This article is about the City of Auckland a part of the whole metropolitan area of Auckland. Manukau City is a large city in the Auckland Region / Greater Auckland area of New Zealand. For the football team see Waitakere City FC Administrative structure Waitakere City was formed by the amalgamation of Waitemata City with Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel Geography Papakura is 123 square kilometres in size and is just 32 km from downtown Auckland John Archibald Banks QSO (born 2 December 1946) is a New Zealand politician Len Brown (born 1956 Auckland, New Zealand) is the current mayor of Manukau, New Zealand and a former lawyer and city councillor Robert Harvey QSO (b about 1941 always known simply as Bob Harvey, is Mayor of Waitakere City, one of the four cities which make up the John Law is a politician and former mayor of the Rodney District Council, New Zealand. Andrew Williams (born 1959) is a New Zealand Politician. In 2007 he was elected as Mayor of North Shore City, New Zealand's fourth largest city Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Statistics New Zealand defines New Zealand urban areas for statistical purposes Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 3 sq mi)
Population (June 2007 estimate)[3]
- Urban	1,294,000
- Demonym	Aucklander
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12)
- Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)
Postcode(s)
Area code(s)	09
Local iwi	Ngāti Ākarana
Website: http://www.aucklandnz.com/

The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country, with around 1. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place History On 2 November 1868, New Zealand officially adopted a standard time to be observed nationally and was perhaps the first country to do so UTC+12 is a Time zone for the following locations Fiji Gilbert Islands, Kiribati Marshall Islands Daylight saving time ( DST UTC+13 is a Time zone for the following locations Enderbury Kiribati (Phoenix Islands Time New Zealand Daylight Time A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks In New Zealand society iwi (iwi form the largest everyday Social units in Māori populations. Ngāti Ākarana is a Māori Iwi of New Zealand. It is a pan-tribal iwi of Māori who have migrated to the city of Auckland (like Ngāti The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Statistics New Zealand defines New Zealand urban areas for statistical purposes 3 million residents, over a quarter of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest of the country. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over ^[4]

It is a conurbation, made up of Auckland City (excluding the Hauraki Gulf islands), North Shore City, and the urban parts of Waitakere and Manukau cities, along with Papakura District and some nearby urban parts of Rodney and Franklin Districts. A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population This article is about the City of Auckland a part of the whole metropolitan area of Auckland. Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel For the football team see Waitakere City FC Administrative structure Waitakere City was formed by the amalgamation of Waitemata City with Manukau City is a large city in the Auckland Region / Greater Auckland area of New Zealand. Geography Papakura is 123 square kilometres in size and is just 32 km from downtown Auckland In Māori its name is Tāmaki-makau-rau, or the transliterated version of Auckland, Ākarana.

Auckland lies between the Hauraki Gulf of the Pacific Ocean to the east, the low Hunua 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. The Hauraki Gulf is a Coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Hunua Ranges form a block of hilly country to the southeast of Auckland in New Zealand 's North Island. Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand and the sixth largest in the world by area The Waitakere Ranges are a chain of hills generally running approximately 25 km (15 The central part of the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand and the sixth largest in the world by area The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, some 2000 Kilometres (1250 Miles across The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions It is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two separate major bodies of water.

History

Main article History of Auckland

Early Māori and Europeans

The isthmus was first settled around 1350 and was valued for its rich and fertile land. The human history of the Auckland metropolitan area stretches from early Māori settlers in the 14th century to the first European explorers in the late Many pā (fortified villages) were created, mainly on the volcanic peaks. The word pā (pronounced pah refers to a Māori Village, generally one from the 19th century or earlier that was fortified for defence Māori population in the area is estimated at about 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans. ^[5][6] The subsequent introduction of firearms, which began in Northland, upset the balance of power and led to devastating inter-tribal warfare, causing iwi, who lacked the new weapons, to seek refuge in areas less exposed to coastal raids. In New Zealand society iwi (iwi form the largest everyday Social units in Māori populations. As a result, the region had relatively low numbers of Māori when European settlement of New Zealand began. There is, however, nothing to suggest that this was the result of a deliberate European policy. ^[7][8]

After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840, the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson, chose the area as his new capital, and named it after the George Eden, Earl of Auckland, then Viceroy of India. The Treaty of Waitangi ( Māori: Tiriti o Waitangi) is a Treaty first signed on February 6, 1840, by representatives of the British Captain William Hobson RN ( 26 September 1792 – 10 September 1842) was the first Governor of New George Eden 1st Earl of Auckland, GCB (25 August 1784 &ndash 1 January 1849 served as a Politician in the United Kingdom and as Governor-General The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and ^[9] However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson (later Wellington) was seen as a better choice for an administrative capital because of its proximity to the South Island, which was being settled much more rapidly. Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour on the southern tip of New Zealand 's North Island. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. At the same time, Auckland was the capital and principal city of the Auckland Province, remaining so until the provincial system was abolished in 1876. (For the current top-level subdivision of Auckland in New Zealand see Auckland Region) The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until Immigration to the new city remained strong, however, even after it lost its status as national capital in 1865.

Growth up to today

Becoming a base against the Māori King Movement in the early 1860s and continued road building towards the south into the Waikato enabled Pākehā (European New Zealanders) influence to spread from Auckland. Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the 1850s to establish a symbolic New Zealand European Pākehā are New Zealanders of predominantly European ancestry Its population also grew fairly rapidly, from 1,500 in 1841 to 12,423 by 1864. The growth occurred similarly to other mercantile-dominated cities, mainly around the port and with problems of overcrowding and pollution. Mercantilism is the idea that a colony should export more goods than it imports and that a colony should sell at higher prices and buy at lower prices

Trams and railway lines shaped Auckland's rapid expansion in the early first half of the 20th century, but soon afterward the dominance of the motor vehicle emerged and has not abated since; arterial roads and motorways have become both defining and geographically dividing features of the urban landscape. They also allowed further massive expansion that resulted in the growth of associated urban areas like the North Shore (especially after the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge), and Manukau City in the south. Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Manukau City is a large city in the Auckland Region / Greater Auckland area of New Zealand.

A large percentage of Auckland is still dominated by a very suburban style of building, giving the city a very low population density. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Although it has no more than a sixth of the population of London, it sprawls over an area almost as large (over 1,000 sq km), making public transport costlier than in other, high-density, cities. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[10]

Future growth

The urbanised extents of Auckland shown in grey.

Auckland is expecting substantial population growth via immigration and natural population increases (which contribute to growth at about 1/3rd and 2/3rds, respectively)^[11], and is set to grow to an estimated 2 million inhabitants by 2050. ^[12] This substantial increase in population will have a major impact on transport, housing and other infrastructure that is in many cases already considered under pressure. It is also feared by some organisations, such as the Auckland Regional Council, that urban sprawl will result from the growth and, as a result, that it is necessary to address this proactively in planning policy. The Auckland Regional Council ( ARC) is the regional council (one of the Local government authorities of the Auckland Region. Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its Suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area A policy is a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome(s

A 'Regional Growth Strategy' has been adopted that sees limits on further subdivision and intensification of existing use as its main sustainability measures. Sustainability, in a general sense is the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely ^[13] This policy is contentious, as it naturally limits the uses of private land, especially the subdivision of urban fringe properties,^[14] by setting 'Metropolitan Urban Limits' in planning documents like the District Plan. A District Plan is a Statutory Planning document of New Zealand's territorial authorities. ^[15]

A related issue is the current discussion about local government, with widely differing views. Some Aucklanders blame limited progress on Auckland's issues on poor governance and the fragmentation of the city into various councils (currently seven "City/District" authorities, plus one "Regional" authority). Others point to the fact that a previous integration of the many much smaller Borough Councils did not bring the promised advantages either, and reduced local participation in politics. ^[16] In 2007, the government set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry which will report back on what restructuring should be done. ^[17][18]

Geography and climate

Rangitoto island as seen from North Head. Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. North Head (or Maungauika, the Mountain of Uika in Māori) is a volcanic headland within North Shore City, New Zealand, in the

Volcanoes

Auckland straddles the volcanoes of the Auckland Volcanic Field. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The Auckland volcanic field is a generally Monogenetic volcanic field in the North Island of New Zealand. The approximately 50 volcanic vents in the field take the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands and depressions, and several have produced extensive lava flows. Most of the cones have been partly or completely quarried away. A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or Minerals are extracted The individual volcanoes are all considered extinct, although the volcanic field itself is merely dormant.

The most recent and by far the largest volcano, Rangitoto Island, was formed within the last 1000 years, and its eruptions destroyed the Māori settlements on neighbouring Motutapu Island some 700 years ago. Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. Motutapu Island (or simply Motutapu) is located in the Hauraki Gulf to the northeast of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. Rangitoto's size, its symmetry, its position guarding the entrance to Waitemata Harbour and its visibility from many parts of the Auckland region make it Auckland's most iconic natural feature. Few birds and insects inhabit the island because of the rich acidic soil and the type of flora growing out of the rocky soil.

Auckland and the inner Hauraki Gulf from space. The Hauraki Gulf is a Coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand.

Harbours and Gulf

Auckland lies on and around an isthmus, less than 2 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, between Mangere Inlet and the Tamaki River. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas Mangere Inlet is an arm of the Manukau Harbour, the southwestern of the two harbours of Auckland, New Zealand and itself an arm of the Tasman Sea The Tamaki River is despite its name mostly an estuarial arm and Harbour of the Hauraki Gulf, within the city of Auckland in New There are two harbours in the Auckland urban area surrounding this isthmus: Waitemata Harbour to the north, which opens east to the Hauraki Gulf, and Manukau Harbour to the south, which opens west to the Tasman Sea. The Hauraki Gulf is a Coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand and the sixth largest in the world by area The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, some 2000 Kilometres (1250 Miles across

Bridges span parts of both harbours, notably the Auckland Harbour Bridge crossing the Waitemata Harbour west of the Auckland Central Business District (CBD). The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the The Mangere Bridge and the Upper Harbour Bridge span the upper reaches of the Manukau and Waitemata Harbours, respectively. The Upper Harbour Bridge is a motorway bridge (technically two bridges as of 2006 which spans over a reach of the Waitemata Harbour and connects Hobsonville In earlier times, portage paths crossed the narrowest sections of the isthmus. Portage refers to the practice of carrying a Canoe or other Boat over land to avoid an obstacle on the water route (such as Rapids or a Waterfall

Several islands of the Hauraki Gulf are administered as part of Auckland City, though they are not officially part of the Auckland metropolitan area. The Hauraki Gulf is a Coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. Parts of Waiheke Island effectively function as Auckland suburbs, while various smaller islands near Auckland are mostly zoned 'recreational open space' or are nature sanctuaries. Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand and is located about 17 There are many suburbs in the Auckland metropolitan area They are listed below grouped by local authority (currently

Climate

View of the Auckland Central Business District. The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the

Auckland has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters. It is the warmest main centre of New Zealand and is also one of the sunniest, with an average of 2060 sunshine hours per annum^[19] The average daily maximum temperature is 23. 7 °C in February, and 14. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 5 °C in July, the absolute maximum recorded temperature is 30. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 5 °C, while the absolute minimum is -2. 5. ^[19] High levels of rainfall occur almost year-round with an average of 1240 mm per year spread over 137 'rain days'. ^[19] Climatic conditions vary in different parts of the city owing to geography such as hills, land cover and distance from the sea, hence unofficial Auckland temperature records exist, such as a maximum of 32. 4 °C in Henderson during February 1998. Suburb ^[20] On 27 July 1939 Auckland received its only recorded snowfall. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[21]

The early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather, before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as 1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails. . . " Many Aucklanders used this time of day to walk and run in parks. ^[22]

As car ownership rates are very high and emissions controls relatively weak, Auckland suffers from some air pollution, especially in regards to fine particles emissions. Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas There are also regular breaches of guideline levels of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas. ^[23] While maritime winds normally disperse the pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible as smog, especially on calm winter days. Smog is a kind of Air pollution; the word "smog" is a Portmanteau of Smoke and Fog.

People

Cultures

Prime Minister Helen Clark being welcomed onto an Auckland marae. Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950 is the 37th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand. A marae (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Maori, Tahitian) malae (in Tongan) malae (in Samoan and

See also: Culture of New Zealand

Auckland is home to many cultures. The culture of New Zealand is a synthesis of home-grown and imported cultures The majority of inhabitants claim European - predominantly British - descent, but substantial Māori, Pacific Islander and Asian communities exist as well. The term New Zealand European refers to New Zealand residents of European descent who identify as New Zealand Europeans rather than some more specific European British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. Pacific Islander (or Pacific Person, pl Pacific People, also called Oceanic[s] ' is a geographic term to describe the Austronesian Asian or Asiatic is a Demonym for people from Asia. However the use of the term varies by country and person often referring to people from a particular Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world and a higher proportion of people of Asian origin than the rest of New Zealand. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over Ethnic groups from all corners of the world have a presence in Auckland, making it by far the country's most cosmopolitan city. Cosmopolitanism is the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single Moral community.

Demographics

The proportion of Asians and other Non-European immigrants has increased during the last decades due to immigration,^[25] and the removal of restrictions directly or indirectly based on race. Immigration to New Zealand began with Polynesian settlement to New Zealand, then uninhabited in the thirteenth century Immigration to New Zealand is heavily concentrated towards Auckland (partly for job market reasons). This strong focus on Auckland has led the immigration services to award extra points towards immigration visa requirements for people intending to move to other parts of New Zealand. ^[26]

The following table shows the ethnic profile of Auckland's population, as recorded in the 2001 and 2006 New Zealand Census. The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a Census of Population and Dwellings every five years The percentages add up to more than 100%, as some people counted themselves as belonging to more than one ethnic group. Figures for 2006 refer to the whole Auckland Region, not just the urban area. The substantial percentage drop of 'Europeans' was mainly caused by the increasing numbers of people from this group choosing to define themselves as 'New Zealanders' - even though this was not one of the groups listed on the census form.

The 2006 Census also provides information about the multilinguality of the region. Accordingly, 867,825 people in the Auckland Region spoke one language only, while 274,863 spoke two, and 57,051 could converse in three or more languages. ^[28]

Sky Tower illuminated in Christmas colours during December.

Religion

Similar to the rest of the country, over half of Aucklanders profess Christianity, but fewer than 10% regularly attend church and almost 40% profess no religious affiliation (2001 census figures). Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The main denominations are Roman Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Pentecostal and charismatic churches are the fastest growing. Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism The term charismatic movement describes the adoption from the early twentieth century onwards of certain beliefs typical of those held by Pentecostal Christians — specifically A small community of Coptic Orthodox Christians is also present. History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the ^[29] A higher percentage of Polynesian immigrants are regular churchgoers than other Aucklanders. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over

Recent immigration from Asia has added to the religious diversity of the city, so now about 10% of the population follow such beliefs as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism, although there are no figures on religious attendance. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century There is also a small, long-established Jewish community. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut

Lifestyle

Positive aspects of Auckland life are its mild climate, plentiful employment and educational opportunities, as well as numerous leisure facilities. Meanwhile, traffic problems (compared to other New Zealand cities), the lack of good public transport, and increasing housing costs have been cited by many Aucklanders as among the strongest negative factors of living there,^[30] together with crime. ^[31] Nonetheless, Auckland current ranks 5th in a survey of the quality of life of the world's top 55 cities (2007 data, rank unchanged from 2006). ^[32] In 2006, Auckland placed 23rd on the UBS list of the world's richest cities. UBS AG ( SWX: UBSN) is a diversified global financial services company with its main headquarters in Basel & Zürich, Switzerland ^[33]

City Of Sails - View over the Westhaven Marina.

Auckland - Skyline from Westhaven Marina.

Leisure

Auckland is popularly known as the "City of Sails" because the harbour is often dotted with hundreds of yachts and has more per capita than any other city in the world, with around 135,000 yachts and launches estimated. A yacht is a recreational boat It designates two rather different classes of Watercraft, sailing and power yachts A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large Motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship Around 60,500 of the country's 149,900 registered yachtsmen also come from the Auckland Region. ^[34][35] Viaduct Basin also hosted two America's Cup challenges (2000 Cup and 2003 Cup), and its cafes, restaurants, and clubs add to Auckland's vibrant nightlife. Viaduct Basin (often Viaduct Harbour) is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront, now turned The America’s Cup is the most prestigious Regatta and Match race in the sport of Sailing, and the oldest active Trophy in international The 2002–2003 Louis Vuitton Cup, held in the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland New Zealand saw nine teams from six countries staging 120 races over five months to select a challenger With the sheltered Waitemata Harbour at its doorstep, Auckland sees many nautical events, and there are also a large number of sailing clubs in Auckland, as well as Westhaven Marina, the largest of the Southern Hemisphere. Westhaven Marina is the largest Yacht Marina in Auckland, New Zealand, and also the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' ^[36][35]

High Street, Queen Street, Ponsonby Road, and Karangahape Road are also very popular with urban socialites. Queen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare of the Auckland CBD in Auckland City, New Zealand 's main population centre Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland City located 2 km west of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand. Karangahape Road (commonly known as K' Road) is a famous street in Auckland, New Zealand, known for cafes boutique shops nightlife and formerly Newmarket and Parnell are up-market shopping areas, while Otara's and Avondale's famous fleamarkets offer a colourful alternative shopping experience. Newmarket is an Auckland Suburb to the south-east of the Central business district. Parnell, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, dates from the Pakeha settlement of Auckland in 1841 Location Otara is surrounded by the suburbs of Otahuhu, Middlemore Newer shopping centre-type developments in the Auckland area tend to be outside of the older city centres, with Sylvia Park (Sylvia Park, Auckland City), Botany Town Centre (Howick, Manukau City) and Westfield Albany (Albany, North Shore City) being the three largest. Sylvia Park is a large Business park and shopping centre in the Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Mount Wellington. Westfield Albany is a new shopping centre of the Westfield Group

The Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Centre host conferences and cultural events such as theatre, kapa haka, and opera. The Auckland Town Hall is a historical building in Auckland City, New Zealand, known both for its use for administrative functions (such as Council The term Kapa haka ( kapa meaning 'rank' or 'row' and haka refers to a 'Maori war dance' is commonly known in Aotearoa as 'Maori Performing Arts' or the Auckland also boasts a full time professional symphonic ensemble in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra was established in the early 1980s and although essentially a regional orchestra it has become one of New Zealand 's major performing organisations

Many national treasures are displayed at the Auckland Art Gallery, such as the work of Colin McCahon. The Auckland Art Gallery is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand and has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand Colin John McCahon ( August 1, 1919, Timaru, New Zealand - May 27, 1987, Auckland) was a prominent , while many other significant cultural artefacts reside at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the National Maritime Museum, or the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). The Auckland War Memorial Museum (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand 's most important national Museums and War memorials The National Maritime Museum is New Zealand 's premier maritime museum The Museum of Transport and Technology ( MOTAT) is a Museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. Exotic creatures can be observed at the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. Auckland Zoo is the main zoological garden of Auckland, New Zealand. Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World, a public Aquarium in Auckland, New Zealand, was the brainchild of renowned New Zealand marine archeologist Movies and rock concerts (notably, the "Big Day Out") are also well patronised. The Big Day Out ( BDO) is an annual Music festival that tours Australia and New Zealand which originated in Sydney in 1992

Auckland CBD from the top of Mt Eden. The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the Mount Eden ( Maungawhau, the 'Mountain of the Whau tree ' in Māori) is the name of a volcano and surrounding suburb in Auckland City,

Parks and nature

Auckland Domain is one of the largest parks within the city, situated close to the CBD and having a good view of the Gulf and of Rangitoto island. The Auckland Domain is Auckland 's oldest Park, and at 75 hectares one of the largest in the city The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. Smaller parks also close to the city centre are Albert Park, Myers Park, Western Park and Victoria Park. Albert Park is a scenic Park in central Auckland, bounded by Wellesley Street East Princes Street Bowen Avenue and Kitchener Street Myers Park is a narrow Park in central Auckland, New Zealand, running parallel to the upper part of Queen Street. Western Park is a midsized public park located in the suburb of Freemans Bay, west of the CBD of Auckland, New Zealand Victoria Park is a park and sports ground in Auckland City, New Zealand.

While most volcanic cones in the Auckland Volcanic Field have been affected by quarrying, many of the remaining cones are now ensconced within parks, and retain a somewhat more natural character than the surrounding city. The Auckland volcanic field is a generally Monogenetic volcanic field in the North Island of New Zealand. Prehistoric earthworks and historic fortifications feature in several of these parks, including Mount Eden, North Head and One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie). Mount Eden ( Maungawhau, the 'Mountain of the Whau tree ' in Māori) is the name of a volcano and surrounding suburb in Auckland City, North Head (or Maungauika, the Mountain of Uika in Māori) is a volcanic headland within North Shore City, New Zealand, in the One Tree Hill (or Maungakiekie in Māori) is a 182 metre

Other parks around the city are in Western Springs, which has a large park bordering on the MOTAT museum and the Auckland Zoo. Western Springs is a residential Suburb and Park in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. The Museum of Transport and Technology ( MOTAT) is a Museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland Zoo is the main zoological garden of Auckland, New Zealand. The Auckland Botanic Gardens are located further south in Manurewa. Suburb

Ferries provide transport to parks and nature reserves at Devonport, Waiheke Island and Rangitoto Island. Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand and is located about 17 Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to the west of Auckland offers beautiful and relatively unspoiled bush territory, as do the Hunua Ranges to the south. The Waitakere Ranges are a chain of hills generally running approximately 25 km (15 The bush is a term used for rural possibly lawless undeveloped land or country areas in many places such as Australia, New Zealand, Sub-Saharan Africa Hunua Ranges form a block of hilly country to the southeast of Auckland in New Zealand 's North Island.

Sport

Locations

The most popular sports in Auckland and New Zealand in general are cricket and rugby. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Auckland has a considerable number of rugby and cricket grounds, and venues for motorsports, tennis, badminton, netball, swimming, soccer, rugby league, and many other sports.

• ASB Tennis Centre is Auckland's premier tennis centre hosting international tournaments for men (Heineken Open) and women (ASB Classic) in January each year. The ASB Tennis Centre is a Tennis facility located in the Parnell district of Auckland, New Zealand. The Heineken Open is a Tennis Tournament on the ATP International Series played in Auckland, New Zealand. The ASB Classic is a Tennis Tournament held in Auckland, New Zealand.
• Eden Park is the city's primary stadium and a frequent home for All Blacks rugby union and Black Caps cricket matches. Eden Park is the main sports ground in Auckland, New Zealand for both Rugby union during winter and Cricket in summer A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting The All Blacks are New Zealand's national team in Rugby union, the country's National sport. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short The New Zealand cricket team, also known as the Black Caps or BLACKCAPS, played their first Test in 1929-30 against England in Christchurch Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries
• Mt Smart Stadium is used mainly for rugby league, rugby union and soccer matches, but also used for concerts. Mt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered
• North Harbour Stadium is mainly used for rugby and soccer but it is also used for concerts. North Harbour Stadium is a Stadium situated in Albany on Auckland 's North Shore in New Zealand. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered
• Vector Arena is a new multi-purpose indoor arena, though its comparatively small field will prevent some types of sports from being played here. The Vector Arena is a 12000-seat
• Western Springs Stadium is a natural amphitheatre used mainly for speedway races, rock and pop concerts. Western Springs Stadium is an entertainment venue in Auckland, New Zealand, that consists of a natural Amphitheatre. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances A race track (or 'racetrack' or 'racing track' is a purpose-built facility for Racing of animals (eg Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure A concert is a live Performance, usually of Music, before an Audience.
• Trusts Stadium is where the 2007 Netball World Championships were held and where many netball games are held. Trusts Stadium is an Indoor arena located in Waitakere City, Auckland, New Zealand. The 2007 Netball World Championships was the twelfth Netball World Championship, a quadrennial international Netball world championship co-ordinated by the

Waitemata Harbour has popular swimming beaches at Mission Bay, Devonport, Takapuna, Long Bay and Maraetai, and the west coast has popular surf spots such as Piha and Muriwai. Mission Bay is a suburb of Auckland city in the North Island of New Zealand. Geography Takapuna is located on the isthmus of a peninsula which extends south "Piha" is also the common name for Birds from the Genera Lipaugus (typical pihas and Snowornis. Muriwai, also called Muriwai Beach, is a coastal community located on the west coast of North island, New Zealand. Many Auckland beaches are patrolled by surf lifesaving clubs, which are part of Surf Life Saving Northern Region. Surf lifesaving is a multifaceted movement that comprises key aspects of voluntary Lifeguard services and competitive surf sport Surf Life Saving Northern Region ( SLSNR) is the organisation responsible for controlling the Surf lifesaving activities around the Auckland region of

Main teams

Main article: Blues (Super rugby franchise)

The Auckland rugby franchise The Blues, formerly known as the 'Auckland Blues' is one of the more successful of New Zealand's five Super 14 franchises. The Blues, formerly the Auckland Blues, are a professional New Zealand Rugby union franchise based in Auckland New Zealand which represents The Blues, formerly the Auckland Blues, are a professional New Zealand Rugby union franchise based in Auckland New Zealand which represents The Super 14 is the largest Rugby union football club championship in the Southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia (Queensland/Reds Many All Blacks have also come from Auckland.

Main article: Auckland Aces

Cricket also has a strong following in Auckland. The Auckland Aces are one of six New Zealand First class cricket teams that make up New Zealand Cricket. The Auckland cricket franchise, the Auckland Aces won the State Shield Trophy against the Otago Volts in February 2007. The Auckland Aces are one of six New Zealand First class cricket teams that make up New Zealand Cricket. The New Zealand limited-overs cricket trophy is currently known as the State Shield. The Otago Volts are a first class Cricket team representing the Otago Cricket Association one of six major associations that make up New Zealand Cricket The Aces had narrowly lost against the Canterbury Wizards the previous year. The Canterbury Wizards are a New Zealand First class cricket team based in Canterbury New Zealand.

Main article: New Zealand Warriors

Previously known as the Auckland Warriors, the New Zealand Warriors represent New Zealand in Australia's National Rugby League competition. The New Zealand Warriors (formerly the Auckland Warriors) are a professional Rugby league team based in Auckland, New Zealand They play their home games at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland. Their most successful year came in 2002 when they finished Minor Premiers and qualified for the Grand Final.

Major events

Popular annual sporting events include:

• The 'Harbour Crossing' swim from Devonport to the Viaduct Basin, Auckland CBD, is a yearly summer event, covering 2. Viaduct Basin (often Viaduct Harbour) is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront, now turned 8 km (often with some considerable counter-currents) and attended by over a thousand mostly amateur competitors. It is New Zealand's largest ocean swim. ^[37]
• The 'Round the Bays' fun-run, starting in the city and going 8. Road running is the sport of Running on a measured course over an established Road (as opposed to track and Cross country running) 4 kilometres (5. 2 miles) along the waterfront to the suburb of St Heliers. Saint Heliers is a residential Auckland City Suburb, located at the eastern end of the city where the Tamaki It attracts many tens of thousands of people and has been an annual March event since 1972. This is a timeline of the History of New Zealand. Pre-Colonial Timeline (to 1839 Before 1600 180: Lake Taupo
• The Auckland Marathon (and half-marathon), an annual competition for thousands of enthusiasts. The Auckland Marathon and Half Marathon is an annual Marathon Running race held in Auckland, New Zealand.

Auckland also hosted the 1950 British Empire Games and the 14th Commonwealth Games in 1990,^[9] and will host a number of matches (including the semi-final and the final) of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990 The 2011 Rugby World Cup will be the seventh staging of the tournament. ^[38]

Economy

The Sky Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 m. The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications Tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball'

Most major international corporations have an Auckland office, as the city is seen as the economic capital of the nation. The most expensive office space is around lower Queen Street and the Viaduct Basin in the Auckland CBD, where many financial and business services are located, which make up a large percentage of the CBD economy. Queen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare of the Auckland CBD in Auckland City, New Zealand 's main population centre Viaduct Basin (often Viaduct Harbour) is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront, now turned The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the ^[39] A large proportion of the technical and trades workforce is based in the industrial zones of South Auckland. South Auckland is an area of Auckland, New Zealand characterized in the popular mind as a socio-economically below-average and sometimes rough Urban area

The largest commercial and industrial areas of Greater Auckland are in the southeast of Auckland City as well as in the western parts of Manukau City, mostly in the areas bordering the Manukau Harbour and the Tamaki River estuary. Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand and the sixth largest in the world by area The Tamaki River is despite its name mostly an estuarial arm and Harbour of the Hauraki Gulf, within the city of Auckland in New

Auckland's status as the largest commercial centre of the county reflects in the high median personal income (per working person, per year) which was NZ$44,304 (approx. US$33,000) for the region in 2005, with jobs in the Auckland CBD often earning more. ^[40] The median personal income (for all persons older than 15 years of age, per year) was NZ$22,300 (2001),^[41] behind only North Shore City (also part of the Greater Auckland area) and Wellington. Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the While office workers still account for a large part of Auckland's commuters, large office developments in other parts of the city, for example in Takapuna or Albany, both North Shore City, are slowly becoming more common, reducing concentration on the Auckland CBD somewhat. Geography Takapuna is located on the isthmus of a peninsula which extends south For the electorate see Albany (NZ electorate Albany is a northern suburb of North Shore City, one of several cities in the Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel

Education

Auckland has a number of important educational institutions, including some of the largest universities in the country. Auckland is also known to be a major centre of overseas language education, with large numbers of foreign students (particularly East Asians) coming to the city for several months or years to learn English or study at universities - although numbers New Zealand-wide have dropped substantially since peaking in 2003. ^[42] As of 2007, there are around 50 NZQA certified schools and institutes teaching English in the Auckland area. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority ( NZQA, Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa is the New Zealand government Crown entity tasked with providing ^[43]

Auckland has a multitude of primary and secondary schools, with the Auckland Grammar School (for boys) , Mount Albert Grammar School, Auckland Girls' Grammar School and the Epsom Girls' Grammar School being amongst the most famous. Auckland Grammar School is a boys-only state secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. Mount Albert Grammar School "(MAGS" is a semi co-educational state secondary school in Central Auckland Auckland Girls' Grammar School (AGGS is a New Zealand secondary school for girls located in Newton, in the Auckland central business district Epsom Girls Grammar School is a leading girls school located in Epsom, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The city also has several private schools such as the exclusive King's College, Auckland International College and Diocesan School for Girls. King's College is an independent Secondary school in New Zealand. Auckland International College (often abbreviated AIC) is a private coeducational secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland contains New Zealand's three largest (by full-time student numbers) high schools: Rangitoto College, Avondale College and Manurewa High School respectively. Rangitoto College (often abbreviated to "Rangi" is the largest secondary school in New Zealand with over 3000 students as of 2007 Avondale College is a secondary education provider in Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand. Manurewa High School is one of the larger Secondary Schools in New Zealand, with an enrolment reaching 2200 students It also contains New Zealand's largest Catholic school, St Peter's College. St Peters College is a college for year 7 to 13 boys and offers a Catholic education to its students

Amongst the most important tertiary educational institutes are the University of Auckland (city and Tamaki Campus), Auckland University of Technology (city campus), Massey University (Albany campus) and the Manukau Institute of Technology (Otara campus), with Unitec New Zealand (Mt Albert campus) being the largest technical institute in Auckland. The University of Auckland (Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau is New Zealand 's largest University. The Auckland University of Technology (AUT (Te Wananga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau is the newest University in New Zealand. Massey University (Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa is New Zealand 's largest university with almost 40000 students Manukau Institute of Technology is a large Institute of Technology in Manukau City, New Zealand. Unitec New Zealand ( Māori: Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka is a Government-funded Institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand.

Housing

Housing varies considerably between some suburbs having state owned housing in the lower income neighbourhoods, to palatial waterfront estates, especially on the Waitemata. Traditionally, the most common residence of Aucklanders was a bungalow on a 'quarter acre' (1,000 m²),^[12] however subdividing such properties with 'infill housing', has long been the norm. In Australian and New Zealand English, a Quarter Acre is a term for a suburban plot of land Aucklanders' housing preferences have resulted in a large urban sprawl and reliance on motor vehicles. Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its Suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area This will likely continue, as the vast majority of Aucklanders live in low-density housing, which is expected to remain at up to 70% of the total share even in 2050. ^[12]

In some areas, the Victorian villas are being increasingly torn down to make way for large plaster mansions with tennis courts and swimming pools. A villa was originally an Upper-class Country house, though since its origins in Roman times the idea and function of a villa has evolved considerably The rampant demolition of the older properties is being combated by the Auckland City Council passing laws that cover heritage suburbs or streets. Auckland has been described as having 'the most extensive range of timbered housing with its classical details and mouldings in the world', many of them Victorian-Edwardian style houses. ^[44]

Transport

Ferry travel is a popular type of public transport for some Auckland destinations.

Main articles: Transport in Auckland and Public transport in Auckland

Travel modes

Road and rail

Auckland is highly dependent on private vehicles as the main form of transportation, with only around 5% of all journeys in the Auckland region being undertaken by bus. Transport in Auckland, New Zealand is defined by various factors among them the shape of the Auckland Isthmus (with its large lengths of coastline Public transport in Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, is served by three modes - Bus, train and Ferry. ^[45] This results in substantial traffic congestion during peak times. ^[46]

Bus services in Auckland are mostly radial rather than ring-routes, due to Auckland being on an isthmus. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas Late-night services (i. e. past midnight) are limited, even on weekends. Train services are mainly limited to some commuter services routes to the west and southeast of Auckland, with longer-distance options scarce. Currently (2007) approximately NZ$ 5. 3 billion worth of large-scale projects are underway or planned (and budgeted for) in the Auckland area to improve rail and public transport patronage over the next decade, a share of 31% of the whole transport budget. ^[10][47]

Other modes

Auckland's ports are the largest of the country, and a large part of both inbound and outbound New Zealand commerce travels through them, mostly via the facilities located to the northeast of the Auckland City CBD. Ports of Auckland ( POAL) the successor to the Auckland Harbour Board, is the company administering Auckland's commercial freight and cruise ship harbour facilities Freight usually arrives / is distributed from the port via road, though the port facilities also have rail access. Auckland is also a major cruise ship stopover point, with the ships usually tying up at Princes Wharf. Princes Wharf is a former commercial wharf on the Auckland waterfront, in Auckland City, New Zealand, which has been redeveloped into a multi-story high-class Auckland CBD is also connected to various outlying coastal suburbs, to North Shore City and to outlying islands by ferry. Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel

Auckland has various small regional airports as well as Auckland International Airport, the busiest of the country. Auckland Airport (formerly Auckland International Airport) is the largest and busiest Airport in New Zealand with over 13 million (some 7 million

Policies

Research at Griffith University has indicated that in the last 50 years, Auckland has engaged in some of the most pro-automobile transport policies anywhere in the world. Griffith University is a public university based in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast Queensland, Australia. ^[48] With public transport declining heavily in usage and provision during the second half of the 20th century (a trend mirrored in most Western countries such as the US),^[49] and increased spending on roads and cars, New Zealand (and specifically Auckland) now has the second-highest vehicle ownership rate in the world, with around 578 vehicles per 1000 people. ^[50]

The harbour bridge from North Shore City. Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel

Infrastructure

The State Highway network connects the cities located in the Auckland urban area, the most frequently travelled being the Northern, Southern, Northwestern and Southwestern Motorways. The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge (Northern Motorway) is the main connection to North Shore City, and also a major road bottleneck. The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel The Central Motorway Junction, also called 'Spaghetti Junction' for its complexity, forms the intersection between the two major motorways of Auckland (State Highway 1 and State Highway 16) as well as connecting them to the surrounding parts of the city. The Central Motorway Junction or CMJ, best known as Spaghetti Junction, is the intersection of New Zealand State Highways 1 and 16 south of the city

Two of the longest arterial roads within Greater Auckland are Great North Road and Great South Road - the main connections in those directions before the construction of the State Highway network. Great North Road is a major thoroughfare in Auckland, on the North Island of New Zealand. The Great South Road was the northern section of the earliest Highway between Auckland and Wellington, in the North Island of New Zealand

Auckland has three main railway lines, serving the general western, southern, and central eastern directions from the Britomart Transport Centre. Britomart Transport Centre (often simply Britomart) is the CBD Located in downtown Auckland, it is the terminal station for all lines, and connects them to ferry and bus services.

Famous sites

The Auckland War Memorial Museum. The Auckland War Memorial Museum (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand 's most important national Museums and War memorials

The following is a list of tourist attractions and landmarks in the Auckland metropolitan area:

Attractions and Buildings

• Auckland Civic Theatre - a famous heritage atmospheric theatre in downtown Auckland. The Auckland Civic Theatre is a large heritage theatre seating 2378 people in central Auckland, New Zealand. An atmospheric theatre is a historical type of Movie palace ( cinema) that used design and architectural elements to convey an impression of being seated in a It is still operating as a theatre and was renovated in 2000 to its original condition.
• Harbour Bridge - connecting Auckland and the North Shore, an iconic symbol of Auckland. The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel
• Auckland Town Hall - with its concert hall considered to have some of the finest acoustics in the world, this 1911 building serves both Council and entertainment functions. The Auckland Town Hall is a historical building in Auckland City, New Zealand, known both for its use for administrative functions (such as Council
• Auckland War Memorial Museum - a large multi-exhibition museum in the Auckland Domain, known for its impressive neo-classicist style. The Auckland War Memorial Museum (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand 's most important national Museums and War memorials The Auckland Domain is Auckland 's oldest Park, and at 75 hectares one of the largest in the city Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century both as a reaction against the Rococo
• Aotea Square - the hub of downtown Auckland besides Queen Street, it is often the site of crafts markets, rallies or arts festivals.
• Britomart Transport Centre - the main downtown public transport centre located in a historic Edwardian building. Britomart Transport Centre (often simply Britomart) is the CBD Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid
• Eden Park - the city's primary stadium and a frequent home for All Blacks rugby union and Black Caps cricket matches. Eden Park is the main sports ground in Auckland, New Zealand for both Rugby union during winter and Cricket in summer A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting The All Blacks are New Zealand's national team in Rugby union, the country's National sport. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short The New Zealand cricket team, also known as the Black Caps or BLACKCAPS, played their first Test in 1929-30 against England in Christchurch Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries
• Karangahape Road - known as "K' Road", a street in upper central Auckland famous for its bars, clubs and smaller shops. Karangahape Road (commonly known as K' Road) is a famous street in Auckland, New Zealand, known for cafes boutique shops nightlife and formerly
• Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World - a well-known aquarium in the eastern Mission Bay suburb, built in a set of former sewage storage tanks, and showing fish like sharks. Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World, a public Aquarium in Auckland, New Zealand, was the brainchild of renowned New Zealand marine archeologist An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a Vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which Water -dwelling Plants Mission Bay is a suburb of Auckland city in the North Island of New Zealand. Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body
• MOTAT - Auckland's Museum for Transport and Technology, at Western Springs. The Museum of Transport and Technology ( MOTAT) is a Museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. Western Springs is a residential Suburb and Park in the west of the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand.
• Mt Smart Stadium - a stadium used mainly for rugby league and soccer matches. Mt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Also the site of many concerts.
• Ponsonby - a suburb and main street west of central Auckland known for arts, cafes and culture. Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland City located 2 km west of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand.
• Queen Street - the main street of the city, from Karangahape Road down to the harbour. Queen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare of the Auckland CBD in Auckland City, New Zealand 's main population centre Somewhat rundown, it is currently (2006-2008) undergoing extensive works.
• Sky Tower - the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, it is 328 m (1,076 ft) tall and has excellent panoramic views. The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications Tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball'
• Vector Arena - events centre in downtown Auckland completed in 2007. The Vector Arena is a 12000-seat Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Holding 12,000 people, it can be used for sports and concert events.
• Viaduct Basin - a marina and residential development in downtown Auckland, the venue for the America's Cup regattas in 2000 and 2003. Viaduct Basin (often Viaduct Harbour) is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront, now turned
• Western Springs Stadium - a natural amphitheatre used mainly for speedway races, rock and pop concerts. Western Springs Stadium is an entertainment venue in Auckland, New Zealand, that consists of a natural Amphitheatre. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances A race track (or 'racetrack' or 'racing track' is a purpose-built facility for Racing of animals (eg Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure A concert is a live Performance, usually of Music, before an Audience.

Landmarks and Nature

• Auckland Domain - one of the largest parks of the city, close to the CBD and having a good view of the harbour and of Rangitoto Island. The Auckland Domain is Auckland 's oldest Park, and at 75 hectares one of the largest in the city The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand.
• Mount Eden - a volcanic cone with a grassy crater. Mount Eden ( Maungawhau, the 'Mountain of the Whau tree ' in Māori) is the name of a volcano and surrounding suburb in Auckland City, Volcanic cones are among the simplest Volcano formations in the world A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity As the highest natural point in Auckland City, it offers 360-degree views of Auckland and is thus a favorite tourist outlook.
• Mount Victoria - a volcanic cone in North Shore City offering a spectacular view of Auckland. Mount Victoria is the highest volcano on Auckland 's North Shore but rises to a mere 87 m Geography North Shore is bounded by Rodney District to the north Waitemata Harbour to the south and the Rangitoto Channel A brisk walk from the Devonport ferry terminal, the cone is steeped in history, as is nearby North Head. North Head (or Maungauika, the Mountain of Uika in Māori) is a volcanic headland within North Shore City, New Zealand, in the
• One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie) - a volcanic cone that dominates the skyline in the southern, inner suburbs. One Tree Hill (or Maungakiekie in Māori) is a 182 metre It no longer has a tree on the summit (after a politically motivated attack on the old tree) but is still crowned by an obelisk. An obelisk (from Greek ὀβελίσκος - obeliskos, diminutive of ὀβελός - obelos, "spit nail pointed pillar"
• Rangitoto Island - guards the entrance to Waitemata Harbour, and forms a prominent feature on the eastern horizon. Rangitoto Island is a volcanic Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand.

360-degree view from Sky Tower, showing many landmarks in the CBD. The Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications Tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City The Auckland CBD (the Central Business District, usually just referred to as the 'CBD' or sometimes 'Central City' is the

See also

• Auckland City
• Auckland (region)
• Auckland Regional Council (ARC)
• Jafa (slang term for Aucklander, article also contains a range of Aucklander stereotypes)
• Suburbs of Auckland
• 1998 Auckland power crisis
• East Auckland
• South Auckland

References

• Gordon McLauchlan (1992). Wendell Cox is an international public policy consultant He is the principal (and sole owner of Wendell Cox Consultancy (Demographia based in the St The Illustrated Encyclopedia of New Zealand. David Bateman Ltd, Glenfield, NZ. ISBN 1-86953-007-1.  

External links

• Auckland - Visitor-oriented official website
• Auckland.Wiki - Wiki about Auckland not affiliated with Wikipedia

• Maps and aerial photos
  • Auckland Street Map (from Wises. A wiki is a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content using a simplified Markup language. co. nz)
  • Auckland Street Map (from Zoomin. co. nz)
  • Maps & Aerial Photos (from the ARC map website - go to 'General Regional Information' (opens interactive map with aerial layer)