North Island

Te Ika-a-Māui (Māori)
Satellite image of the North Island
North Island (Oceania)
Geography
Location	Oceania
Coordinates	38°24′S 175°43′E / 38.4°S 175.717°E / -38.4; 175.717
Archipelago	New Zealand
Area	113,729 km2 (43,911 sq mi)
Area rank	14th
Highest elevation	2,797 m (9,177 ft)
Highest point	Mount Ruapehu
Country
New Zealand
ISO 3166-2:NZ	NZ-N
Regions	9
Territorial authorities	43
Largest city	Auckland (pop. 1,377,200)
Demographics
Population	3,366,100 (as of June 2011 estimate+)
Density	29.6 /km2 (76.7 /sq mi)

The North Island (Māori: Te Ika-a-Māui) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the slightly larger but much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is 113,729 square kilometres (43,911 sq mi) in area,^[1] making it the world's 14th-largest island. It has a population of 3,366,100 (June 2011 estimate).^[2]

Twelve cities are in the North Island: Auckland, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Hamilton, Hastings, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Wanganui, Whangarei and Wellington, the capital, located at the southern extremity of the island. Approximately 76% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.

Naming and usage[link]

Although the island has been known as the North Island for many years,^[3] the New Zealand Geographic Board has found that, along with the South Island, it has no official name. The board intends to make North Island the island's official name, along with an alternative Māori name. Although several Māori names have been used, Maori Language Commissioner Erima Henare sees Te Ika-a-Māui as the most likely choice.^[4]

In prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island, with the definite article. It is normal to use the preposition in rather than on, for example Hamilton is in the North Island, my mother lives in the North Island. Maps, headings, tables and adjectival expressions use North Island without "the".

Māori mythology[link]

According to Māori mythology, the North and South Islands of New Zealand arose through the actions of the demigod Māui. Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up. This great fish became the North Island and thus a Māori name for the North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui (The Fish of Māui). The mountains and valleys are believed to have been formed as a result of Māui's brothers' hacking at the fish. Until the early 20th Century, an alternative Māori name for the North Island was Aotearoa. In present Māori usage, Aotearoa is a collective name for New Zealand as a whole.

Economy[link]

The sub-national GDP of the North Island was estimated at US$102.863 billion in 2003, 79% of New Zealand's national GDP.^[5]

Ecology[link]

The North Island has an extensive flora and bird population, with numerous National Parks and other protected areas.

Regions of the North Island[link]

Nine local government regions cover the North Island and all its adjacent islands and territorial waters.

• Northland
• Auckland
• Bay of Plenty
• Gisborne
• Waikato
• Taranaki
• Manawatu-Wanganui
• Hawkes Bay
• Wellington

Cities and towns in the North Island[link]

Map of the North Island showing some of its cities

• Auckland
• Gisborne
• Hamilton
• Hastings
• Masterton
• Napier
• New Plymouth
• Palmerston North
• Rotorua
• Taupo
• Tauranga
• Wanganui
• Whangarei
• Wellington

Smaller urban areas are found on the List of towns in New Zealand, as are components of larger metropolitan area.

Geographic features[link]

• Cape Reinga
• East Cape
• Cape Palliser
• Hawke Bay
• Lake Taupo
• Mt Maunganui Beach
• Tongariro National Park
• Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu
• Waikato River
• Waipoua Kauri Forest
• Waitomo Caves
• Ninety Mile Beach

See also[link]

• List of islands of New Zealand

References[link]

External links[link]

v t e Regions of New Zealand North Island Northland Auckland¹ Waikato Bay of Plenty Gisborne¹ Hawke's Bay Taranaki Manawatu-Wanganui Wellington South Island Tasman¹ Marlborough¹ Nelson¹ West Coast Canterbury Otago Southland ¹ Unitary authorities.

Coordinates: 38°24′S 175°43′E / 38.4°S 175.717°E / -38.4; 175.717