Auckland (/ˈɔːklənd/AWK-lənd;[6]Māori: Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about 1,478,800 (June 2023).[4] It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, and which has a total population of 1,739,300 as of June 2023.[4] It is the most populous city of New Zealand and the fifth largest city in Oceania. While Europeans continue to make up the plurality of Auckland's population, the city became multicultural and cosmopolitan in the late-20th century, with Asians accounting for 31% of the city's population in 2018.[7] Auckland has the fourth largest foreign-born population in the world, with 39% of its residents born overseas.[8] With its large population of Pasifika New Zealanders, the city is also home to the biggest ethnic Polynesian population in the world.[9] The Māori-language name for Auckland is Tāmaki Makaurau, meaning "Tāmaki desired by many", in reference to the desirability of its natural resources and geography. Tāmaki means "omen".[10][11]
Auckland lies between the Hauraki Gulf to the east, the Hunua Ranges to the south-east, the Manukau Harbour to the south-west, and the Waitākere Ranges and smaller ranges to the west and north-west. The surrounding hills are covered in rainforest and the landscape is dotted with 53 volcanic centres that make up the Auckland Volcanic Field. The central part of the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitematā Harbour on the Pacific Ocean. Auckland is one of the few cities in the world to have a harbour on each of two separate major bodies of water.
The Auckland isthmus was first settled c. 1350 and was valued for its rich and fertile land. The Māori population in the area is estimated to have peaked at 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans.[12] After a British colony was established in New Zealand in 1840, William Hobson, then Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, chose Auckland as its new capital. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a strategic gift of land to Hobson for the new capital. Hobson named the area after George Eden, Earl of Auckland, British First Lord of the Admiralty. Māori–European conflict over land in the region led to war in the mid-19th century. In 1865, Auckland was replaced by Wellington as the capital, but continued to grow, initially because of its port and the logging and gold-mining activities in its hinterland, and later because of pastoral farming (especially dairy farming) in the surrounding area, and manufacturing in the city itself.[13] It has been the nation's largest city throughout most of its history. Today, Auckland's central business district is New Zealand's leading economic hub.
The Auckland isthmus was settled by Māori around 1350, and was valued for its rich and fertile land. Many pā (fortified villages) were created, mainly on the volcanic peaks. By the early 1700s, Te Waiohua, a confederation of tribes such as Ngā Oho, Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi, became the main influential force on the Auckland isthmus,[20][21] with major pā located at Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, Māngere Mountain and Maungataketake.[22] The confederation came to an end around 1741, when paramount chiefKiwi Tāmaki was killed in battle by Ngāti WhātuahapūTe Taoū chief Te Waha-akiaki.[23] From the 1740s onwards, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei became the major influential force on the Auckland isthmus.[20] The Māori population in the area is estimated to have been about 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans.[24][25] The introduction of firearms at the end of the eighteenth century, which began in Northland, upset the balance of power and led to devastating intertribal warfare beginning in 1807, causing iwi who lacked the new weapons to seek refuge in areas less exposed to coastal raids. As a result, the region had relatively low numbers of Māori when settlement by European New Zealanders began.[26][27]
On 20 March 1840 in the Manukau Harbour area where Ngāti Whātua farmed, paramount chief Apihai Te Kawau signed the Treaty of Waitangi.[28] Ngāti Whātua sought British protection from Ngāpuhi as well as a reciprocal relationship with the Crown and the Church. Soon after signing the treaty, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a strategic gift of 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of land on the Waitematā Harbour to the new Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson, for the new capital, which Hobson named for George Eden, Earl of Auckland, then Viceroy of India.[29][30][31] Auckland was founded on 18 September 1840 and was officially declared New Zealand's capital in 1841,[32][33] and the transfer of the administration from Russell (now Old Russell) in the Bay of Islands was completed in 1842. However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson (later renamed Wellington) was seen as a better choice for an administrative capital because of its proximity to the South Island, and Wellington became the capital in 1865. After losing its status as capital, Auckland remained the principal city of the Auckland Province until the provincial system was abolished in 1876.[34]
In response to the ongoing rebellion by Hōne Heke in the mid-1840s, the government encouraged retired but fit British soldiers and their families to migrate to Auckland to form a defence line around the port settlement as garrison soldiers. By the time the first Fencibles arrived in 1848, the Northern War had concluded. Outlying defensive towns were then constructed to the south, stretching in a line from the port village of Onehunga in the west to Howick in the east. Each of the four settlements had about 800 settlers; the men were fully armed in case of emergency, but spent nearly all their time breaking in the land and establishing roads.[citation needed]
In the early 1860s, Auckland became a base against the Māori King Movement,[36] and the 12,000 Imperial soldiers stationed there led to a strong boost to local commerce.[37] This, and continued road building towards the south into the Waikato region, enabled Pākehā (European New Zealanders) influence to spread from Auckland. The city's population grew fairly rapidly, from 1,500 in 1841 to 3,635 in 1845,[37] then 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. Auckland's population of ex-soldiers was far greater than that of other settlements: about 50 per cent of the population was Irish, which contrasted heavily with the majority English settlers in Wellington, Christchurch or New Plymouth. The majority of settlers in the early period were assisted by receiving cheap passage to New Zealand.[38]
Modern history
Trams and railway lines shaped Auckland's rapid expansion in the early first half of the 20th century. However, after the Second World War, the city's transport system and urban form became increasingly dominated by the motor vehicle.[citation needed] Arterial roads and motorways became both defining and geographically dividing features of the urban landscape. They also allowed further massive expansion that resulted in the growth of suburban areas such as the North Shore (especially after the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the late 1950s), and Manukau City in the south.[39]
Economic deregulation in the mid-1980s led to very dramatic changes to Auckland's economy, and many companies relocated their head offices from Wellington to Auckland. The region was now the nerve centre of the entire national economy. Auckland also benefited from a surge in tourism, which brought 75 per cent of New Zealand's international visitors through its airport. Auckland's port handled 31 per cent of the country's container trade in 2015.[40]
The face of urban Auckland changed when the government's immigration policy began allowing immigrants from Asia in 1986. This has led to Auckland becoming a multicultural city, with people of all ethnic backgrounds. According to the 1961 census data, Māori and Pacific Islanders comprised 5 per cent of Auckland's population; Asians less than 1 per cent.[41] By 2006, the Asian population had reached 18.0 per cent in Auckland, and 36.2 per cent in the central city. New arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea gave a distinctive character to the areas where they clustered, while a range of other immigrants introduced mosques, Hindu temples, halal butchers and ethnic restaurants to the suburbs.[40]
The Auckland urban area lies within the Auckland Region, an administrative region that takes its name from the city. The region encompasses the city centre, as well as suburbs, surrounding towns, nearshore islands, and rural areas north and south of the urban area.[43]
Auckland cityscape viewed from Maungawhau / Mount Eden. The nearer body of water is the Waitematā Harbour and the further one is the Hauraki Gulf.
Harbours and gulf
The central areas of the city are located on the Auckland isthmus, less than two kilometres wide at its narrowest point, between Māngere Inlet and the Tamaki River. There are two harbours surrounding this isthmus: Waitematā Harbour to the north, which extends east to the Hauraki Gulf and thence to the Pacific Ocean, and Manukau Harbour to the south, which opens west to the Tasman Sea.
Bridges span parts of both harbours, notably the Auckland Harbour Bridge crossing the Waitematā Harbour west of the central business district. The Māngere Bridge and the Upper Harbour Bridge span the upper reaches of the Manukau and Waitematā Harbours, respectively. In earlier times, portages crossed the narrowest sections of the isthmus.[46][47]
Several islands of the Hauraki Gulf are administered as part of the Auckland Region, though they are not part of the Auckland urban area. 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.[citation needed]
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Auckland has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). However, under the Trewartha climate classification and according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), the city's climate is classified as humid subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters (Trewartha climate classification Cfbl).[48][49] It is the warmest main centre of New Zealand. The average daily maximum temperature is 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February and 14.7 °C (58.5 °F) in July. The maximum recorded temperature is 34.4 °C (93.9 °F) on 12 February 2009,[50] while the minimum is −3.9 °C (25.0 °F), although there is also an unofficial low of −5.7 °C (21.7 °F) recorded at Riverhead Forest in June 1936.[51]
Snowfall is extremely rare: the most significant fall since the start of the 20th century was on 27 July 1939, when snow fell just before dawn and five centimetres (2 in) of snow reportedly lay on Mount Eden.[52][53] Snowflakes were also seen on 28 July 1930 and 15 August 2011.[54][55][56]
Frosts in Auckland are infrequent and often localised. Henderson Riverpark receives an annual average of 27.4 ground frosts per year, while Auckland Airport receives an annual average of 8.7 ground frosts per year.[57]
Average sea temperature around Auckland varies throughout the year. The water temperature is warmest in February when it averages 21 °C (70 °F), while in August, the water temperature is at its coolest, averaging 14 °C (57 °F).[58]
Prevailing winds in Auckland are predominantly from the southwest. The mean annual wind speed for Auckland Airport is 18 kilometres per hour (11 mph).[59] During the summer months there is often a sea breeze in Auckland which starts in the morning and dies down again in the evening.[60] 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...".[61]
Fog is a common occurrence for Auckland, especially in autumn and winter. Whenuapai Airport experiences an average of 44 fog days per year.[62]
Auckland occasionally suffers from air pollution due to fine particle emissions.[63] There are also occasional breaches of guideline levels of carbon monoxide.[64] While maritime winds normally disperse the pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible as smog, especially on calm winter days.[65]
Climate data for Auckland Airport (17km S of Auckland, 7m ASL, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–present)
The city of Auckland straddles the Auckland Volcanic Field, an area which in the past, produced at least 53 small volcanic centres over the last ~193,000 years, represented by a range of surface features including maars (explosion craters), tuff rings, scoria cones, and lava flows.[76][77] It is fed entirely by basalticmagma sourced from the mantle at a depth of 70–90 km below the city,[76] and is unrelated to the explosive, subduction-driven volcanism of the Taupō Volcanic Zone in the Central North Island region of Aotearoa, New Zealand, ~250 km away. The Auckland Volcanic Field is considered to be a monogenetic volcanic field, with each volcano erupting only a single time, usually over a timeframe of weeks to years before cessation of activity.[77] Future eruptive activity remains a threat to the city, and will likely occur at a new, unknown location within the field.[76] The most recent activity occurred approximately 1450 AD at the Rangitoto Volcano.[76] This event was witnessed by Māori occupants of the area, making it the only eruption within the Auckland Volcanic Field thus far to have been observed by humans.
The Auckland Volcanic Field has contributed greatly to the growth and prosperity of the Auckland Region since the area was settled by humans. Initially, the maunga (scoria cones) were occupied and established as pā (fortified settlements) by Māori due to the strategic advantage their elevation provided in controlling resources and key portages between the Waitematā and Manukau harbours.[77] The rich volcanic soils found in these areas also proved ideal for the cultivation of crops, such as kūmara. Following European arrival, many of the maunga were transformed into quarries to supply the growing city with aggregate and building materials, and as a result were severely damaged or entirely destroyed.[77] A number of the smaller maar craters and tuff rings were also removed during earthworks. Most of the remaining volcanic centres are now preserved within recreational reserves administered by Auckland Council, the Department of Conservation, and the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority.
The Auckland urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 605.67 km2 (233.85 sq mi).[3] The urban area has an estimated population of 1,478,800 as of June 2023, 28.3 percent of New Zealand's population. The city has a population larger than the entire South Island (1,225,000).[4]
The Auckland urban area had a usual resident population of 1,346,091 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 122,343 people (10.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 212,484 people (18.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 665,202 males and 680,886 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.977 males per female. Of the total population, 269,367 people (20.0%) were aged up to 15 years, 320,181 (23.8%) were 15 to 29, 605,823 (45.0%) were 30 to 64, and 150,720 (11.2%) were 65 or older.[78]
Culture and identity
Many ethnic groups, since the late 20th century, have had an increasing presence in Auckland, making it by far the country's most cosmopolitan city. Historically, Auckland's population has been of majority European origin, though the proportion of those of Asian or other non-European origins has increased in recent decades due to the removal of restrictions directly or indirectly based on race. Europeans continue to make up the plurality of the city's population, but no longer constitute a majority after decreasing in proportion from 54.6% to 48.1% between the 2013 and 2018 censuses. Asians now form the second-largest ethnic group, making up nearly one-third of the population. Auckland is home to the largest ethnic Polynesian population of any city in the world, with a sizeable population of Pacific Islanders (Pasifika) and indigenous Māori people.[9][78]
At the 2018 census, 647,811 people (48.1%) living in the Auckland urban area were European/Pākehā, 424,917 (31.6%) were Asian, 235,086 (17.5%) were Pacific peoples, 154,620 (11.5%) were Māori, 33,672 (2.5%) were Middle Eastern, Latin American and/or African (MELAA), and 13,914 (1.0%) were other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).[78]
In terms of ethnic distribution, at the 2023 census the Pasifika population formed the majority in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local board area and the plurality in the Ōtara-Papaptoetoe and Manurewa local board areas. The Asian population formed the majority in the Howick and Puketāpapa local board areas and the plurality in the Whau local board area. Europeans formed the plurality in the Henderson-Massey, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Papakura local board areas, and formed the majority in the remaining 11 local board areas. Māori did not form a majority or plurality in any local board area but are in the highest concentrations in the Manurewa and Papakura local board areas.[79]
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.[80] Immigration from overseas into Auckland is partially offset by the net emigration of people from Auckland to other regions of New Zealand.[81] In 2021 and 2022, Auckland recorded its only decreases in population, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lack of international migration.[82][83]
At the 2018 Census, 41.6 percent of the Auckland region's population were born overseas; in the local board areas of Upper Harbour, Waitematā, Puketāpapa and Howick, overseas-born residents outnumbered those born in New Zealand.[84] The most common birthplaces of overseas-born residents were mainland China (6.2%), India (4.6%), England (4.4%), Fiji (2.9%), Samoa (2.5%), South Africa (2.4%), Philippines (2.0%), Australia (1.4%), South Korea (1.4%), and Tonga (1.3%).[85] A study from 2016 showed Auckland has the fourth largest foreign-born population in the world, only behind Dubai, Toronto and Brussels, with 39% of its residents born overseas.[86]
Religion
Around 48.5 per cent of Aucklanders at the 2013 census affiliated with Christianity and 11.7 per cent affiliated with non-Christian religions, while 37.8 per cent of the population were irreligious and 3.8 per cent objected to answering. Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination with 13.3 per cent affiliating, followed by Anglicanism (9.1 per cent) and Presbyterianism (7.4 per cent).[84]
Recent[when?] immigration from Asia has added to the religious diversity of the city, increasing the number of people affiliating with Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism, although there are no figures on religious attendance.[87] There is also a small, long-established Jewish community.[88]
Auckland is experiencing substantial population growth via immigration (two-thirds of growth) and natural population increases (one-third),[89] and is set to grow to an estimated 1.9 million inhabitants by 2031[90][91] in a medium-variant scenario. This substantial increase in population will have a huge impact on transport, housing and other infrastructure that are, particularly in the case of housing, that are considered to be under pressure already. The high-variant scenario shows the region's population growing to over two million by 2031.[92]
In July 2016, Auckland Council released, as the outcome of a three-year study and public hearings, its Unitary Plan for Auckland. The plan aims to free up to 30 percent more land for housing and allows for greater intensification of the existing urban area, creating 422,000 new dwellings in the next 30 years.[93]
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2020)
Auckland's lifestyle is influenced by the fact that while it is 70 percent rural in land area, 90 percent of Aucklanders live in urban areas.[94]
Positive aspects of Auckland life are its mild climate, plentiful employment and educational opportunities, as well as numerous leisure facilities. Meanwhile, traffic problems, 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,[95] together with crime that has been rising in recent years.[96] Nonetheless, Auckland ranked third in a survey of the quality of life of 215 major cities of the world (2015 data).[97]
One of Auckland's nicknames, the "City of Sails", is derived from the popularity of sailing in the region.[1] 135,000 yachts and launches are registered in Auckland, and around 60,500 of the country's 149,900 registered yachtsmen are from Auckland,[98] with about one in three Auckland households owning a boat.[99] The Viaduct Basin, on the western edge of the CBD, hosted three America's Cup challenges (2000 Cup, 2003 Cup and 2021 Cup).[citation needed]
The Waitematā Harbour is home to several notable yacht clubs and marinas, including the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Westhaven Marina, the largest of the Southern Hemisphere.[98] The Waitematā Harbour has several swimming beaches, including Mission Bay and Kohimarama on the south side of the harbour, and Stanley Bay on the north side. On the eastern coastline of the North Shore, where the Rangitoto Channel divides the inner Hauraki Gulf islands from the mainland, there are popular swimming beaches at Cheltenham and Narrow Neck in Devonport, Takapuna, Milford, and the various beaches further north in the area known as East Coast Bays.[citation needed]
While most volcanic cones in the Auckland volcanic field have been affected by quarrying, many of the remaining cones are now within parks, and retain a more natural character than the surrounding city. Prehistoric earthworks and historic fortifications are in several of these parks, including Maungawhau / Mount Eden, North Head and Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill.
Rugby union, cricket, rugby league, association football (soccer) and netball are widely played and followed. Auckland has a considerable number of rugby union and cricket grounds, and venues for association football, netball, rugby league, basketball, hockey, ice hockey, motorsports, tennis, badminton, swimming, rowing, golf and many other sports.
ASB Tennis Centre is Auckland's primary tennis venue, hosting international tournaments for men and women (ASB Classic) in January each year. ASB Bank took over the sponsorship of the men's tournament from 2016, the event formerly being known as the Heineken Open.
Spark Arena, previously known as Vector Arena, is an indoor auditorium primarily used for concerts and is the home of the New Zealand Breakers basketball team. It also hosts international netball.
Pukekohe Park Raceway is a thoroughbred horse-racing venue that used to host a leg of the V8 Supercars series annually, along with other motorsports events. The most important horse-racing meeting is held annually at the end of November, featuring the Group 2 Counties Cup and three other stakes races.
Western Springs Stadium has since 1929 hosted speedway racing during the summer. It also hosts concerts, with many of New Zealand's largest-ever concerts having taken place at the stadium. It is also the home of Ponsonby RFC.
Major teams
Sporting teams based in Auckland who compete in national or transnational competitions are as follows:
Auckland's men's first class cricket team, the Auckland Aces, play their home matches at Eden Park, generally on the outer oval. The women's team, the Auckland Hearts, play at Melville Park in Epsom.
The ATP Auckland Open and the WTA Auckland Open (both known for sponsorship reasons as the ASB Classic), are men's and women's tennis tournaments, respectively, which are held annually at the ASB Tennis Centre in January. The men's tournament has been held since 1956, and the women's tournament since 1986.
The Auckland Marathon (and half-marathon) is an annual marathon. It is the largest marathon in New Zealand and draws in the vicinity of 15,000 entrants. It has been held annually since 1992.
The Auckland Anniversary Regatta is a sailing regatta which has been held annually since 1840, the year of Auckland's founding. It is held over Auckland Anniversary weekend and attracts several hundred entrants each year. It is the largest such regatta, and the oldest sporting event, in New Zealand.
Auckland Cup Week is an annual horse racing carnival, which has been held in early March since its inception in 2006. It is the richest such carnival in New Zealand, and incorporates several of New Zealand's major thoroughbred horse races, including the Auckland Cup, held since 1874, and New Zealand Derby, held since 1875.
The Auckland Harbour Crossing Swim is an annual summer swimming event. The swim crosses the Waitematā Harbour, from the North Shore to the Viaduct Basin covering 2.8 km (often with some considerable counter-currents). The event has been held since 2004 and attracts over a thousand mostly amateur entrants each year, making it New Zealand's largest ocean swim.[102]
Round the Bays is an annual fun-run. The course travels eastwards along the Auckland waterfront, with the run starting in the CBD and ending in St Heliers, the total length being 8.4 km (5.2 mi). It is the largest fun-run in New Zealand and attracts tens of thousands of entrants each year, with the number of entrants reported to have peaked at 80,000 in 1982. It has been held annually since 1972.[103]
Auckland comprises a diversity of architectural styles owing to its early beginnings as a settlement, to the Victorian era right through to the contemporary era of the late 20th century. The city has legislation in effect to protect the remaining heritage, with the key piece of legislation being the Resource Management Act of 1991.[108] Prepared under this legislation is the Auckland Unitary Plan, which indicates how land can be used or developed. Prominent historic buildings in Auckland include the Dilworth Building, the Auckland Ferry Terminal, Guardian Trust Building, Old Customs House, Landmark House, the Auckland Town Hall and the Britomart Transport Centre–many of these are located on the main thoroughfare of Queen Street.[citation needed]
Auckland is the major economic and financial centre of New Zealand. It has an advanced market economy with strengths in finance, commerce, and tourism. Most major international corporations have an Auckland office; 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 constitute a large percentage of the CBD economy.[109] The largest commercial and industrial areas of the Auckland Region are Auckland CBD and the western parts of Manukau, mostly bordering the Manukau Harbour and the Tamaki River estuary.
According to the 2013 census, the primary employment industries of Auckland residents are professional, scientific and technical services (11.4 percent), manufacturing (9.9 percent), retail trade (9.7 percent), health care and social assistance (9.1 percent), and education and training (8.3 percent). Manufacturing is the largest employer in the Henderson-Massey, Howick, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Manurewa and Papakura local board areas, retail trade is the largest employer in the Whau local board area, while professional, scientific and technical services are the largest employer in the remaining urban local board areas.[111]
The sub-national GDP of the Auckland region was estimated at NZ$122 billion in 2022, almost 40 percent of New Zealand's national GDP.[112] The per-capita GDP of Auckland was estimated at $71,978, the third-highest in the country after the Taranaki and Wellington regions, and above the national average of $62,705.[113]
In 2014, the median personal income (for all persons older than 15 years of age, per year) in Auckland was estimated at $41,860, behind only Wellington.[114]
Housing varies considerably between some suburbs having state owned housing in the lower income neighbourhoods, to palatial waterfront estates, especially in areas close to the Waitematā Harbour. Traditionally, the most common residence of Aucklanders was a standalone dwelling on a 'quarter acre' (1,000 m2).[90] However, subdividing such properties with 'infill housing' has long been the norm. Auckland's housing stock has become more diverse in recent decades, with many more apartments being built since the 1970s, particularly since the 1990s in the CBD.[115] Nevertheless, the majority of Aucklanders live in single dwelling housing and are expected to continue to do so, even with most of future urban growth being through intensification.[90]
Auckland's housing is amongst the least affordable in the world, based on comparing average house prices with average household income levels[116][117] and house prices have grown way well above the rate of inflation in recent decades.[115] In August 2022, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) reported the median house price in the Auckland region was $1,100,000, ranging from $900,000 in the former Papakura District area to $1,285,000 in the former North Shore City area, This is compared to a median price of $700,000 outside of Auckland.[118] There is significant public debate around why Auckland's housing is so expensive, often referring to a lack of land supply,[115] the easy availability of credit for residential investment[119] and Auckland's high level of liveability.
In some areas, the Victorian villas have been torn down to make way for redevelopment. The demolition of the older houses is being combated through increased heritage protection for older parts of the city.[120] 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 built in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.[121]
In the lead-up to 2010, a housing crisis began in Auckland, with the market not being able to sustain the demand for affordable homes. The Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 mandated that a minimum of 10 percent of new builds in certain housing areas be subsidised to make them affordable for buyers who had incomes on par with the national average. In a new subdivision at Hobsonville Point, 20 percent of new homes were reduced to below $550,000.[122] Some of the demand for new housing at this time was attributed to the 43,000 people who moved into Auckland between June 2014 and June 2015.[89] Research has found that Auckland is set to become even more densely populated in future which could ease the burden by creating higher density housing in the city centre.[123][124] From around November 2021 to May 2022, house prices dropped 11.68%.[125] It has continued to fall since due to inflation, bank interest rates, and a variety of other factors.[126][127][128][129]
The Auckland Council is the local authority with jurisdiction over the city of Auckland, along with surrounding rural areas, parkland, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.[130]
From 1989 to 2010, Auckland was governed by several city and district councils, with regional oversight by Auckland Regional Council. In the late 2000s, New Zealand's central government and parts of Auckland's society felt that this large number of councils, and the lack of strong regional government (with the Auckland Regional Council having only limited powers), were hindering Auckland's progress.[citation needed]
A Royal Commission on Auckland Governance was set up in 2007;[131][132] in 2009, it recommended a unified local governance structure for Auckland by amalgamating the councils.[133] The government subsequently announced that a "super city" would be set up with a single mayor by the time of New Zealand's local body elections in 2010.[134][135]
In October 2010, Manukau City mayor Len Brown was elected mayor of the amalgamated Auckland Council. He was re-elected for a second term in October 2013. Brown did not stand for re-election in the 2016 mayoral election, and was succeeded by successful candidate Phil Goff in October 2016.[136] Twenty councillors comprise the remainder of the Auckland Council governing body, elected from thirteen electoral wards.
The Auckland urban area has 340 primary schools, 80 secondary schools, and 29 composite (primary/secondary combined) schools as of February 2012, catering for nearly a quarter of a million students. The majority are state schools, but 63 schools are state-integrated and 39 are private.[141]
The city is home to some of the largest schools in terms of students in New Zealand, including Mt Albert Grammar School, the second-largest school in New Zealand with a student population of 3035,[142] and Rangitoto College in the East Coast Bays area, the largest school in New Zealand with 3813 students as of August 2024.[143]
Auckland is 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.[145] As of 2007[update], there are around 50 New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) certified schools and institutes teaching English in the Auckland area.[146]
The Auckland Harbour Bridge, opened in 1959, is the main connection between the North Shore and the rest of the Auckland region.[148] The bridge provides eight lanes of vehicle traffic and has a moveable median barrier for lane flexibility, but does not provide access for rail, pedestrians or cyclists. The Central Motorway Junction, also called 'Spaghetti Junction' for its complexity, is the intersection between the two major motorways of Auckland (State Highway 1 and State Highway 16).[149]
Two of the longest arterial roads within the Auckland Region are Great North Road and Great South Road – the main connections in those directions before the construction of the State Highway network.[147] Numerous arterial roads also provide regional and sub-regional connectivity, with many of these roads (especially on the isthmus) previously used to operate Auckland's former tram network.
Auckland has four railway lines (Western, Onehunga, Eastern and Southern). These lines serve the western, southern and eastern parts of Auckland from the Waitematā railway station in downtown Auckland, the terminal station for all lines, where connections are also available to ferry and bus services. Work began in late 2015 to provide more route flexibility and connect Britomart, now named Waitematā, more directly to the western suburbs on the Western Line via an underground rail tunnel known as the City Rail Link project. A light rail network is also planned.
Ferry travel is a common type of public transport for some Auckland destinations.
Road and rail
Private vehicles are the main form of transportation within Auckland, with around seven percent of journeys in the Auckland region undertaken by bus in 2006,[150] and two percent undertaken by train and ferry.[150] For trips to the city centre at peak times, the use of public transport is much higher, with more than half of trips undertaken by bus, train or ferry.[151] In 2010, Auckland ranked quite low in its use of public transport, having only 46 public transport trips per capita per year,[151][152] while Wellington has almost twice this number at 91, and Sydney has 114 trips.[153] This strong dependence on roads results in substantial traffic congestion during peak times.[154] This car reliance means 56% of the city's energy usage goes towards transportation, and CO2 emissions will increase by 20% in the next 10 years.[124]
Bus services in Auckland are mostly radial, with few cross-town routes. Late-night services (i.e. past midnight) are limited, even on weekends. A major overhaul of Auckland's bus services was implemented during 2016–18, significantly expanding the reach of frequent bus services: those that operate at least every 15 minutes during the day and early evening, every day of the week.[155] Auckland is connected with other cities through bus services operated by InterCity.
Auckland's ports are the second largest in the country, behind the Port of Tauranga,[159] and a large part of both inbound and outbound New Zealand commerce travels through them, mostly via the facilities northeast of Auckland CBD. Freight usually arrives at or is distributed from the port via road, though the port facilities also have rail access. Auckland is a major cruise ship stopover point, with the ships usually tying up at Princes Wharf. Auckland CBD is connected to the coastal suburbs, to the North Shore and to outlying islands by ferry.[citation needed]
Air
Auckland has various small regional airports and Auckland Airport, the busiest in the country. Auckland Airport, New Zealand's largest, is in the southern suburb of Māngere on the shores of the Manukau Harbour. There are frequent services to Australia, and to other New Zealand destinations. There are also direct connections to many locations in the South Pacific, as well as the United States, China, Asia, Vancouver, London, Santiago and Buenos Aires.[160] In terms of international flights, Auckland is the second-best connected city in Oceania.[161]
Policies
Research at Griffith University has indicated that from the 1950s to the 1980s, Auckland engaged in some of the most pro-automobile transport policies anywhere in the world.[162] With public transport declining heavily during the second half of the 20th century (a trend mirrored in most Western countries, such as the US),[163] 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.[164] Auckland has also been called a very pedestrian- and cyclist-unfriendly city, though some efforts are being made to change this,[165] with Auckland being a major participant in the government's "Urban Cycleways" initiative, and with the "SkyPath" project for a walk and cycleway on the Auckland Harbour Bridge having received Council support, and planning consent.[166][167]
Infrastructure and services
Electricity
Vector owns and operates the majority of the distribution network in urban Auckland,[168] with Counties Energy owning and operating the network south of central Papakura.[169] The city is supplied from Transpower's national grid from thirteen substations across the city. There are no major electricity generation stations located within the city or north of Auckland, so almost all of the electricity for Auckland and Northland must be transmitted from power stations in the south, mainly from Huntly Power Station and the Waikato River hydroelectric stations. The city had two natural gas-fired power stations (the 404 MW Ōtāhuhu B and the 175 MW Southdown), but both shut down in 2015.[170][171]
There have been several notable power outages in Auckland.[172] The five-week-long 1998 Auckland power crisis blacked out much of the CBD after a cascade failure occurred on the four main underground cables supplying the CBD.[173] The 2006 Auckland Blackout interrupted supply to the CBD and many inner suburbs after an earth wire shackle at Transpower's Otāhuhu substation broke and short-circuited the lines supplying the inner city.
In 2009, much of the northern and western suburbs, as well as all of Northland, experienced a blackout when a forklift accidentally came into contact with the Ōtāhuhu to Henderson 220 kV line, the only major line supplying the region.[174] Transpower spent $1.25 billion in the early 2010s reinforcing the supply into and across Auckland, including a 400 kV-capable transmission line from the Waikato River to Brownhill substation (operating initially at 220 kV), and 220 kV underground cables between Brownhill and Pakuranga, and between Pakuranga and Albany via the CBD. These reduced the Auckland Region's reliance on Ōtāhuhu substation and northern and western Auckland's reliance on the Ōtāhuhu to Henderson line.[citation needed]
Natural gas
Auckland was one of the original nine towns and cities in New Zealand to be supplied with natural gas when the Kapuni gas field entered production in 1970 and a 340 km long high-pressure pipeline from the field in Taranaki to the city was completed. Auckland was connected to the Maui gas field in 1982 following the completion of a high-pressure pipeline from the Maui gas pipeline near Huntly, via the city, to Whangārei in Northland.[175]
The high-pressure transmission pipelines supplying the city are now owned and operated by First Gas, with Vector owning and operating the medium and low-pressure distribution pipelines in the city.[citation needed]
Auckland Harbour Bridge – a bridge which spans the Waitematā Harbour. It connects central Auckland and the North Shore, and is regarded as an iconic symbol of Auckland.
Auckland Town Hall – the city's town hall. Originally built for the Auckland City Council in 1911, it is now the ceremonial headquarters of the Auckland Council. The hall has a theatre which is known for the quality of its acoustics, and is regularly used for concerts and other live performances.
Aotea Centre – a civic centre which was completed in 1989. It hosts exhibitions, concerts and other live performances.
Britomart Transport Centre – the main public transport centre in the CBD. It is an Edwardian building which was formerly the city's Chief Post Office.
Eden Park – the city's primary stadium and a frequent host of international rugby union and cricket matches. It hosted the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup finals.[176]
Karangahape Road – colloquially known as "K' Road", a street at the southern end of the CBD, adjacent to the suburb of Newton. It is now known locally for cafes and restaurants, bars, pubs, music venues and shops. Historically it was Auckland's red-light district.
Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium – an aquarium and Antarctic environment in the eastern suburb of Mission Bay, built in a set of former sewage-storage tanks. It showcases a wide variety of marine animals.
New Zealand Maritime Museum – a museum which features exhibitions and collections relating to New Zealand maritime history. It is located at Hobson Wharf, adjacent to the Viaduct Harbour.
Ponsonby – a suburb to the west of central Auckland, known for its range of independent cafes, restaurants, shops and extensive collection of Victorian and Edwardian housing.
Queen Street – the main commercial thoroughfare of the CBD, running from Karangahape Road downhill to the harbour.
Rainbow's End – an amusement park with over 20 rides and attractions located adjacent to the Manukau CBD.
St Patrick's Cathedral – the Catholic Cathedral of Auckland. It is a 19th-century Gothic building, which was renovated from 2003 to 2007 for refurbishment and structural support.
Sky Tower – the second tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. It is 328 m (1,076 ft).
Spark Arena – events centre in central Auckland completed in 2007. Holding 12,000 people, it is used for sporting events and concerts.
Viaduct Harbour – formerly an industrial harbour, the basin was re-developed as a marina and residential area in the 1990s. It served as a base for the America's Cup regattas in 2000 and 2003.
Natural landmarks
Auckland Domain – built atop the tuff ring of the Pukekawa volcano in 1843, the domain is the oldest and one of the largest parks in the city. Located at the intersection of the suburbs of Parnell, Newmarket, and Grafton, it is close to the CBD and offers a clear view of the harbour and of Rangitoto Island. Auckland War Memorial Museum is located at the highest point in the park.
Coast to Coast Walkway – a 16 km walk through and past many of Auckland's natural landmarks and attractions, joining the east and west coasts of Auckland.[177]
Great Barrier Island – the largest island in the Hauraki Gulf, located 100 km (62 mi) north-east of the Auckland CBD. The island has a population of approximately 1,000 people and is entirely off-grid, relying on renewable solar power and collection of freshwater.[178]
Maungawhau / Mount Eden – a volcanic cone with a grassy crater. The highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus, it offers 360-degree views of the city and is thus a popular tourist outlook.
Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill – a volcanic cone that dominates the skyline of the southern inner suburbs. It no longer has a tree on the summit (after a politically motivated attack on the erstwhile tree) but is crowned by an obelisk.
Rangitoto Island – an island which guards the entrance to Waitematā Harbour and forms a prominent feature on the eastern horizon. The island was formed by a volcanic eruption approximately 600 years ago, making it both the youngest and the largest volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field. The island reaches a height of 260 m, and offers panoramic views across Auckland.
Tiritiri Matangi Island - an island in the Hauraki Gulf located 30 km (19 mi) northeast of the Auckland CBD. The island is an open nature-reserve which is managed under the supervision of the Department of Conservation. It is specifically noted for its bird life, including takahē, North Island kōkako and kiwi.
Waiheke Island – the second-largest island in the Hauraki Gulf, located 21.5 km (13.4 mi) east of the Auckland CBD. It is known for its beaches, forests, vineyards and olive groves.
The Waitākere Ranges, a range of hills approximately 25 km (16 mi) west of the CBD. The hills run from north to south along the west coast of the North Island for approximately 25 km (16 mi), and rise to a peak of 474 metres (1,555 ft). A significant portion of the hills lie within a regional park, which includes numerous bush-walking tracks. Coastal cliffs rise to 300 metres (980 ft), intermittently broken up by beaches; popular surf beaches in the area include Piha, Muriwai, Te Henga (Bethells Beach) and Karekare.
Cultural references
Advocates of the city sometimes like to quote Rudyard Kipling's invocation its remoteness: "Last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite, apart", from his poem "The Song of the Cities" (1893).[179]
Different works of Robert Heinlein refer to a fictional human colony on Venus as "New Auckland".[180]
Auckland Council engages internationally through formal sister city relationships, strategic alliances and cooperation arrangements with other cities and countries, and participation in international city networks and forums. Auckland Council maintains relationships with the following cities and countries.[181][182]
^"ca 1720". Manukau's Journey - Ngā Tapuwae o Manukau. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. MJ_0015. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
^McClure, Margaret (6 December 2007). "Auckland region - Landforms". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
^Brenstrum, Erick (June 2003). "Snowstorms"(PDF). Tephra. 20. Ministry of Civil Defence: 40–52. Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
^"The snows of '39". New Zealand Geographic. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^"Auckland's Transport Challenges"(PDF). ARTA. Archived from the original(PDF) on 25 May 2010. (from the Draft 2009/10-2011/12 Auckland Regional Land Transport Programme), Page 8, ARTA, March 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
^Newsom, Margaret (September 1972). "Rudyard Kipling in New Zealand". Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021. The remark in the present Shell Guide to New Zealand, that 'there is still no poet as quotable about Auckland as Kipling,' seems correct. Without any prompting, I heard the first line of that verse - which is still true - three times in Auckland last year. (1971)
^Cowan, M. E., ed. (2003). "A Heinlein Concordance". The Heinlein Society. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
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