Located in the Northern part of New Zealand, Auckland is the largest metropolitan area in the country. The city of Auckland has a cosmopolitan character, with people belonging to varied ethnicities. The geographical location of Auckland is such that it lies between the Hauraki Gulf of the Pacific Ocean to the east, the low Hunua Ranges to the south-east, the Manukau Harbour to the south-west, and the Waitakere Ranges and smaller ranges to the west and north-west. The region is also the site of Auckland Volcanic Field, comprising of around 50 volcanoes. Most of the cones have been quarried and the field is merely dormant. To learn some more interesting and fun facts about Auckland, read on.
Interesting & Fun Facts about Auckland
- Auckland is the largest as well as the most populous urban area of New Zealand.
- Auckland was originally inhabited by the Maori people.
- Auckland was initially known as ‘Tamaki Makau Rau,’ meaning a maiden with 100 lovers.
- Auckland houses the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world.
- Auckland has two harbors on two separate major bodies of water, namely Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean.
- The largest volcano located in Auckalnd is in the Rangitoto Island.
- Auckland is located on and around an isthmus, with its narrowest point merely 2 kilometers in width, which is between Mangere Inlet and the Tamaki River.
- As per 2006 statistics, Auckland ranked 23rd on the UBS list of the world's richest cities.
- With regard to the quality of life, Auckland currently ranks 5th amongst 218 major cities of the world.
- Auckland is commonly referred as the "City of Sails", because the harbor is flanked by hundreds of yachts and has more yachts per capita than any other city in the world.
- The Sky Tower located in Auckland is the tallest free standing structure in the entire Southern Hemisphere.
- Auckland is the breeding ground for the New Zealand Sea Lion, which is the most endangered of the five species of sea lion in the world.
- Auckland houses approximately 30 percent of the world’s total population of yellow-eyed penguin, which is also bred here.
