Auckland

Auckland Neuseeland

Sir Edmund Hilary was a Kiwi. He summed up the flexible, practical spirit of New Zealand and its people. Adaptable and innovative, they have recently come to the fore in film productions such as Lord of the Rings, award-winning wines and growth in their international education sector, centred mainly in Auckland.

Auckland is the country's capital, with a population of around 1.1 million people, and it is New Zealand's economic heart - cosmopolitan, spacious and central to commerce, manufacturing and tourism.

Auckland is built on the isthmus between Waitemata harbour in the east and Manukau harbour in the west. Sailing and water sports are popular for good season. The region is volcanic and the city contains 48 individually extinct volcanoes, with Rangitoto Island at the entrance to Waitemata harbour being the biggest in the region.

To the west, the black sand beaches beyond the Waitekere Ranges offer great surfing and swimming for the city's inhabitants. There is around 1000mm rain each year and Auckland can show four seasons in one day with its changeable weather.

The climate is mild and temperate and can be almost subtropical at times, while the city's geography, tree cover and ocean wind currents can vary from one part of the city to another.

Located on the Pacific Rim, about one third of New Zealands population lives in and around Auckland and its compostition is multicultural - roughly two-thirds are of European origins, over 10 percent are Maori, around 13% are from the Pacific Islands by descent and there is a growing Asian population of about twelve percent.

This is reflected in its cuisine with a diversity of cafes, restaurants, bars and engaging night life.

The city is well-served by a reliable public transport network, especially bus and ferry services, while cabs are available and there is an extensive road network relative to the city's size.

Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand, with the country's largest airport, and it is a pleasant prospect with its parks and open spaces, its appealing natural environment, its proximity to great escapes into nature, and its vibrant and creative commercial, artistic and cultural life.