Northland Region

{{See also|Geology of the Northland Region}}

The Northland Region occupies the northern 80% ({{convert|265|km|miles}}) of the {{convert|330|km|miles}} Northland Peninsula, the southernmost part of which is in the Auckland region.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Northland Region – Geography |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/northland-region/page-2 |access-date=5 July 2014 |last=Orange |first=Claudia |date=13 July 2012 |author-link=Claudia Orange}} 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, Tāne Mahuta, stands in the Waipoua Forest{{Cite web |last1=Hodsell |first1=Peter |last2=Taonga |first2=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu |title=Tāne Mahuta, Waipoua kauri forest |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4137/tane-mahuta-waipoua-kauri-forest |access-date=27 November 2021 |website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |language=en}} south of the Hokianga Harbour. These kauri forests are also home to Te Raupua at {{convert|781|m|feet}}, the highest point in the region. Northland has many endemic plant and invertebrate species{{Cite journal |last1=Taylor-Smith |first1=Briar |last2=Morgan-Richards |first2=Mary |last3=Trewick |first3=Steven A. |date=2019 |title=Patterns of regional endemism among New Zealand invertebrates |journal=New Zealand Journal of Zoology |volume=47 |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1080/03014223.2019.1681479 |issn=0301-4223 |s2cid=208600157|doi-access=free }} such as the endangered snail pūpū harakeke (Placostylus ambagiosus), stick insects and the Northland green tree gecko (Naultinus grayii).{{Cite journal |last1=Nielsen |first1=Stuart V. |last2=Bauer |first2=Aaron M. |last3=Jackman |first3=Todd R. |last4=Hitchmough |first4=Rod A. |last5=Daugherty |first5=Charles H. |date=2011 |title=New Zealand geckos (Diplodactylidae): Cryptic diversity in a post-Gondwanan lineage with trans-Tasman affinities |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |language=en |volume=59 |issue=1 |pages=1–22 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.12.007 |pmid=21184833|bibcode=2011MolPE..59....1N }}

The western coast is dominated by several long straight beaches, the most famous of which is the inaccurately-named 88 km stretch of Ninety Mile Beach in the region's far north. The slightly longer Ripiro Beach lies further south. Two large inlets are also located on this coast, the massive Kaipara Harbour in the south, which Northland shares with the Auckland region, and the convoluted inlets of the Hokianga Harbour.

The east coast is more rugged, and is dotted with bays and peninsulas. Several large natural harbours are found on this coast, from Parengarenga close to the region's northern tip, then Whangaroa Harbour, and past the famous Bay of Islands down to Whangārei Harbour, on the shores of which is situated the largest population centre. Numerous islands dot this coast, notably the Cavalli Islands, the Hen and Chicken Islands, Aorangaia Island and the Poor Knights Islands.

The northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie at the top of Northland. These include several points often confused in the public mind as being the country's northernmost points: Cape Maria van Diemen, Spirits Bay, Cape Reinga, and North Cape. The northernmost point of the North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs, close to North Cape although the northernmost point of the country is further north, in the Kermadec chain of islands. Cape Reinga and Spirits Bay, however, have a symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In Māori mythology, it is from here that the souls of the dead depart on their journey to the afterlife.

Northland has an oceanic climate (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification), but a subtropical climate in the Trewartha climate classification, with warm humid summers and mild wet winters. Due to its latitude and low elevation, it has the country's highest average annual temperature,{{Cite web |date=2 March 2009 |title=Living in Northland |url=http://www.northlanddhb.org.nz/careers/living-in-Northland/climate/ |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100525141020/http://www.northlanddhb.org.nz/careers/living-in-Northland/climate/ |archive-date=25 May 2010 |access-date=15 February 2010 |publisher=Northland District Health Board}} although, as with other parts of New Zealand, the weather is changeable. In summer, maximum temperatures range from 22 °C to 26 °C, not often rising above 30 °C. In winter, maximum temperatures vary between 14 °C and 17 °C,{{Cite encyclopedia |last=Orange |first=Claudia |date=1 May 2015 |title=Northland Region – Natural environment |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url= https://teara.govt.nz/en/northland-region/page-3 |access-date=7 February 2025}} while minima vary between 7 °C and 12 °C.

Ground frosts are rare due to the region being encircled by the moderating Pacific and Tasman waters, but light frosts do occur infrequently around Dargaville in the lowlands. The hottest months are January and February. In January 2009, excessive sunlight hours and below-average rainfall resulted in the region being declared a drought zone.{{Cite web |date=9 February 2010 |title=Drought confirms Northland as NZ's hottest place in 2009 |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=10991794 |access-date=19 October 2015 |website=The Northern Advocate }}

Typical annual rainfall for the region is 1500–2000 mm but varies at different altitudes.{{Cite web |last=Chappell |first=P. R. |date=2013 |title=The Climate and Weather of Northland |url=https://niwa.co.nz/static/Northland%20ClimateWEB.pdf |url-status=live |website=niwa.co.nz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214181149/https://niwa.co.nz/static/Northland%20ClimateWEB.pdf |archive-date=Feb 14, 2023 }} Northland has an average of 2000 sunshine hours annually.{{Cite web |title=NorthlandNZ – Climate |url=http://www.northlandnz.com/about/climate/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525000720/http://www.northlandnz.com/about/climate/ |archive-date=25 May 2010 |access-date=15 February 2010 |publisher=Destination Northland}} Winds are predominantly from the southwest. Occasionally in summer, the region experiences stormy conditions from former tropical cyclones, which generally become much weaker once they leave tropical latitudes.

The Northland Region has been governed by the present Northland Regional Council since 1989.{{Cite journal |date=9 June 1989 |title=The Local Government (Northland Region) Reorganisation Order 1989 |journal=New Zealand Gazette |pages=2391 ff}} The seat of the council is in Whangārei.

Regional council members represent 8 constituencies: Far North, Bay of Islands-Whangaroa, Mid North, Coastal Central, Coastal South, Whangārei City, Kaipara and Te Raki.

There are three territorial authorities in the region:

• Far North District Council, based in Kaikohe
• Whangarei District Council, based in the city centre.
• Kaipara District Council, based in Dargaville

Until 1989 Northland was governed by several councils and an earlier Northland Regional Council known as the Northland United Council. (It had been part of Auckland Province from 1853 until government was centralised in 1876. Long after Auckland Province ceased, the region continued to be known as North Auckland.){{Cite encyclopedia |year=1966 |title=North Auckland region |encyclopedia=An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/north-auckland-region/1 |access-date=5 July 2014 |last=Franklin |first=Samuel Harvey |editor-last=McLintock |editor-first=A. H. |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock}} In 1989, Kaitaia Borough, Mangonui County, Whangaroa County, Bay of Islands County, Hokianga County, and Kaikohe Borough were amalgamated to become the Far North District. Whangarei City, Whangarei County, and Hikurangi Town Councils became the Whangarei District, with Dargaville Borough and Otamatea County becoming the Kaipara District. The Northland Regional Council became a tier of local government above these territorial authorities.

A proposal to merge the three district councils and the regional council into a unitary authority to be known as the Northland Council was rejected by the Local Government Commission in June 2015.{{Cite news |date=9 June 2015 |title=Proposal for single Northland council dumped |publisher=Radio New Zealand |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/275809/proposal-for-single-northland-council-dumped}}

Northland Region covers {{Convert|12507.14|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=6 October 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Northland region|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Northland region|y}}|R}}/12507.14|0}} people per km².

{{Historical populations

|1991|126786

|1996|137052

|2001|140133

|2006|148470

|2013|151689

|2018|179076

|2023|194007

|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{Cite web |title=StatsMaps – 2013 Census population and dwelling map |url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/StatsMaps/Home/Maps/2013-census-population-dwelling-map.aspx |access-date=11 December 2013}}{{Cite web |title=2001 Census: Regional summary |url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929211821/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx |archive-date=29 September 2020 |access-date=28 April 2020 |website=archive.stats.govt.nz |language=en-nz}}}}

File:Kauri Te Matua Ngahere.jpg)]]

Northland Region had a population of 194,007 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 14,931 people (8.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 42,318 people (27.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 95,697 males, 97,776 females and 528 people of other genders in 71,778 dwellings.{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.01.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}} 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 38,067 people (19.6%) aged under 15 years, 29,856 (15.4%) aged 15 to 29, 83,790 (43.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 42,288 (21.8%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.0% European (Pākehā); 37.4% Māori; 4.9% Pasifika; 4.8% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.0%, Māori language by 10.1%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 7.1%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 31.2% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 3.8% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.2%, and 7.8% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 20,514 (13.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 87,414 (56.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 41,562 (26.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $33,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 11,367 people (7.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 67,788 (43.5%) people were employed full-time, 21,735 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,469 (3.5%) were unemployed.{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.01.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Northland Region (01)}}

Māori refer to Northland – and by extension its Māori people – as Te Taitokerau (the northern tide) and Māori language and traditions are strong there.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Northland Region – Overview |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/northland-region/1 |access-date=31 August 2011 |last=Orange |first=Claudia |date=2 March 2009}} Major tribal groups include Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Kurī and Ngāti Whātua.{{Cite web |title=Te Taitokerau |url=http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/region/te-taitokerau/ |access-date=31 August 2011 |website=Te Puni Kōkiri/Ministry for Māori Development}} Several of these tribes form a loose association known as the Muriwhenua.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Muriwhenua tribes |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/muriwhenua-tribes}}

Approximately one third of the region's population are Māori; the majority of the remainder is of European lineage. Compared to the rest of the country, Pacific Islanders are under-represented in Northland.{{Cite web |title=Pacific Islanders and Asians among Northland's changing ethnic diversity |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/pacific-islanders-and-asians-among-northlands-changing-ethnic-diversity/D567HID4RK4B5L25O2VOTGU65Q/ |access-date=27 November 2021 |website=The New Zealand Herald |date=23 September 2019 |language=en-NZ}} Although most of the region's European population are British (as is true with the rest of the country), certain other ethnicities are represented as well. These include a sizeable Croatian community from the Dargaville area north, particularly around Kaitaia.{{Cite web |title=Croatian settlement in New Zealand |url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/croatian-settlement-new-zealand |access-date=27 November 2021 |website=The Beehive |language=en}}

Northland is New Zealand's least urbanised region, with 50% of the population of {{NZ population data 2018|Northland region|y}} living in urban areas. Whangārei is the largest urban area of Northland, with a population of {{NZ population data 2018|Whangarei|y|y|y|(|).}} The region's population is largely concentrated along the east coast, due to the west coast being more rugged and less suitable for urbanisation.

File:Stone Store and Kemp House.jpg (left), St James (rear), and the country's oldest surviving building, Mission House (right).]]

According to Māori legend, the North Island of New Zealand was an enormous fish, caught by the demigod Māui. For this reason, Northland is sometimes referred to as "The tail of the fish", Te Hiku o Te Ika.

Northland iwi claim that Kupe made landfall at the Hokianga (although others claim this was at Taipa) in the northwest of Northland, and thus the region claims that it was the birthplace of New Zealand. Some of the oldest traces of Māori {{lang|mi|kāinga}} (fishing villages) can be found here.

If the Māori regard the region as the legendary birthplace of the country, there can be no doubt that it was the European starting-point for the modern nation of New Zealand. Traders, whalers and sealers were among the first arrivals, and the gum and timber of the mighty kauri trees brought more colonisers.

In the Bay of Islands, Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and Kerikeri contains many historic buildings, including the Stone Store, New Zealand's oldest extant stone building. The nearby settlement of Waitangi was of even more significance, as the signing place of New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi between the Māori tribes and the British Crown, on 6 February 1840.

Between 1870 and 1920, the major industry in Northland was kauri gum digging, which by the 1910s was centred around the townships of Ahipara and Houhora.{{Cite book |last=Hayward |first=Bruce W. |title=Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers |date=1989 |publisher=The Bush Press |isbn=0-908608-39-X |page=43-44 |author-link=Bruce Hayward}}

The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Northland was estimated at NZ$7.86 billion in the year to March 2019, 2.6% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $42,104 in 2019, the lowest of all New Zealand regions. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $984 million (13.1%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $1.59 billion (21.2%), service industries contributed $4.30 billion (57.1%), and taxes and duties contributed $645 million (8.6%){{Cite web |title=Regional gross domestic product: Year ended March 2019 {{!}} Stats NZ |url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/regional-gross-domestic-product-year-ended-march-2019 |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=www.stats.govt.nz}}

File:A231, Northland, New Zealand, fence on sheep farm, 2007.JPG

The region's economy is based on agriculture (notably beef cattle and sheep), fishing, forestry, and horticulture. Northland has {{Convert|4423|ha|acre|abbr=}} of horticultural land as of 2017. Significant crops include avocadoes, kumara, kiwifruit, citrus fruit and olives.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Northland Region – Farming and forestry |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/northland-region/9 |access-date=15 February 2010 |last=Orange |first=Claudia |date=2 February 2009}}{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Fresh Facts: New Zealand Horticulture |url=https://www.freshfacts.co.nz/files/freshfacts-2018.pdf |website=Plant & Food Research |issn=1177-2190}}

Extensive forests are a feature of the Northland landscape. For this reason wood and paper manufacturing industries also make a large contribution to the region's economy. The railway system, which once ran as far north as Okaihau, has been historically important for the transport of timber to Auckland.

Northland is a favourite tourist destination, especially to the Bay of Islands and the historic town of Kerikeri. Diving and fishing are also popular visitor activities, especially around the Bay of Islands and the Poor Knights Islands.

Northland was formerly home to New Zealand's only oil refinery, located in Marsden Point, a town, close to Whangārei across the harbour. New Zealand's natural fuel resources in Taranaki account for a little under half of the refinery's intake, with the rest coming predominantly from the Middle East. The nearby Marsden A thermal power station originally utilised heavy oil from the refinery for electricity production, but no longer does so.{{Cite web |date=6 August 2021 |title=Shareholders vote to close Marsden Point refinery, cutting 1 million tonnes CO2 emissions from NZ books |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/page/marsden-point-refinery-closure-to-save-100mt-co2 |access-date=27 November 2021 |website=Newsroom |language=en-AU}}

{{Main|List of people from the Northland Region}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Northland Region}}

{{Wikivoyage|Northland}}

• [https://www.nrc.govt.nz/ Northland Regional Council]
• [https://www.northlandnz.com/ Northland regional information]

{{Regions of New Zealand}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|-35.58|173.97|region:NZ-NTL_type:adm1st|display=title}}

Northland

Category:Wine regions of New Zealand