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| | [[Image:Auckland - New Zealand.jpg|thumb|The city and harbor]] | | [[Image:Auckland - New Zealand.jpg|thumb|The city and harbor]] |
| − | '''Auckland''' is New Zealand's largest city, having a population approaching 1,300,000. By virtue of its unique location astride a narrow neck of land between two harbours, the city is almost surrounded by water. On the north and Pacific side is the Waitemata Harbour, while the Manukau Harbour is on the south and Tasman side. A notable feature of Auckland's landscape is the numerous extinct volcanic cones which rise above the skyline–Mount Eden, Mount Hobson, Mount Albert, One Tree Hill, and Mount Wellington. Rangitoto Island, also an extinct volcano, stands as a sentinel at the entrance of the Waitemata Harbour. Through north and south the city extends for 20 miles–from the east coast bays on the North Shore, and over the Harbour Bridge to the dormitory suburbs of Papatoetoe, Papakura, and Manurewa, south of the city. The city has a far-ranging importance as the chief centre for the rich farming land of the Waikato to the south and of the lesser developed Northland to the north. Even greater is its importance as a manufacturing centre, port, and centre of overseas communications. | + | '''Auckland''' is the largest city in [[New Zealand]], located on the North Island. |
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| − | ==History==
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| − | The town of Auckland was founded on 18 September 1840 on a site selected by Governor William Hobson. Hobson was influenced in his choice of site by four factors: its central position between the then two main areas of European settlement, Port Nicholson (Wellington) and Kororareka, and the two main areas of Maori population, the Waikato and Northland; the great facility of internal water communication to north and south; the facility and safety of its port, and the proximity of several smaller ports abounding with valuable timber; and the natural fertility of the soil for agriculture. The settlement was named after George Eden, Earl of Auckland, Governor-General of India, a friend of Hobson's under whom he had served.
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| − | ==References==
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| − | [http://www.stats.govt.nz/default.htm Statistics New Zealand]<br /> | |
| − | [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/A/AucklandCity/AucklandCity/en Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]
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| | [[Category:Cities]] | | [[Category:Cities]] |
Revision as of 23:40, May 3, 2008
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, located on the North Island.
