North Island

For other uses, see North Island (disambiguation).

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
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. 1,397,300)
Demographics
Population	3,393,900 (as of June 2012 estimate+)
Density	29.8 /km2 (77.2 /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, making it the world's 14th-largest island. It has a population of 3,393,900 (June 2012 estimate).

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 77% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.

Naming and usage

Although the island has been known as the North Island for many years, 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, Māori Language Commissioner Erima Henare sees Te Ika-a-Māui as the most likely choice.

In April 2013, the board announced it would seek the public's input before making any official changes to the island's name.

In prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island, with the definite articles. 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

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

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

Ecology

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

Regions of the North Island

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

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

Cities and towns in the North Island

The North Island has a larger population than the South Island with both the country's largest city, Auckland as well as the capital, Wellington at either ends of the island.

Map of the North Island showing some of its cities

Cities and towns of the North Island by population
		City/Town	Region	Population (2008)			City/Town	Region	Population (2008)
	1	Auckland	Auckland	70061397300000000001,397,300		11	Wanganui	Manawatu-Wanganui	700439500000000000039,500
	2	Wellington	Wellington	7005395600000000000395,600		12	Kapiti Coast	Wellington	38,900
	3	Hamilton	Waikato	7005209300000000000209,300		13	Gisborne	Gisborne	31,100
	4	Tauranga	Bay of Plenty	7005122200000000000122,200		14	Taupo	Waikato	22,600
	5	Palmerston North	Manawatu-Wanganui	700483300000000000083,300		15	Masterton	Wellington	20,200
	6	Hastings	Hawke's Bay	66,100		16	Levin	Manawatu-Wanganui	19,550
	7	Napier	Hawke's Bay	58,400		17	Whakatane	Bay of Plenty	18,700
	8	Rotorua	Bay of Plenty	700456100000000000056,100		18	Cambridge	Waikato	15,200
	9	New Plymouth	Taranaki	700453000000000000053,000		19	Feilding	Manawatu-Wanganui	14,450
	10	Whangarei	Northland	700452500000000000052,500		20	Tokoroa	Waikato	13,300

Healthcare

Healthcare in the North Island is provided by fifteen District Health Boards (DHBs). Organized around geographical areas of varying population sizes, they are not coterminous with the Local Government Regions.

District Health Board	District	Population
Northland District Health Board (Te Poari Hauora a Rohe o te Tai Tokerau)	Whangarei District, Far North District, Kaipara District	159,160
Waitemata District Health Board (Te Wai Awhina)	North Shore City, Rodney District, Waitakere City	525,000
Auckland District Health Board (Te Toka Tumai)	Auckland City	468,000
Counties Manukau District Health Board (A Community Partnership)	Manukau City, Papakura District, Franklin District	490,610
Waikato District Health Board (Waikato DHB)	Hamilton City, Hauraki District, Matamata-Piako District, Otorohanga District, part of Ruapehu District, South Waikato, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato District, Waipa District, Waitomo District	372,865
Bay of Plenty District Health Board (Hauora a Toi)	Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty District, Whakatane District, Kawerau District, Opotiki District	214,170
Lakes District Health Board (Lakes DHB)	Rotorua District, Taupo District	102,000
Tairawhiti District Health Board (Te Mana Hauora o te Tairawhiti)	Gisborne District	44,499
Hawke's Bay District Health Board (Whakawateatia)	Napier City, Hastings District, Wairoa District, Central Hawke's Bay District, Chatham Islands	155,000
Taranaki District Health Board (Taranaki DHB)	New Plymouth District, Stratford District, South Taranaki District	104,280
Whanganui District Health Board (Whanganui DHB)	Wanganui District, Rangitikei District, part of Ruapehu District	62,210
Mid Central District Health Board (Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua)	Palmerston North City, Horowhenua District, Manawatu District, Tararua District, part of Kapiti Coast District	158,838
Wairarapa District Health Board (Te Poari Hauora a Rohe o Wairarapa)	South Wairarapa District, Carterton District, Masterton District	38,200
Hutt Valley District Health Board (Healthy People)	Lower Hutt City, Upper Hutt City	145,000
Capital and Coast District Health Board (Upoko ki te Uru Hauora)	Wellington City, Porirua City, part of Kapiti Coast District	270,000

Geographic features

The North Island, in relation to the South Island

• 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

• List of islands of New Zealand