North Island
 |
North Island |
The
North Island is one of the two main islands of
New Zealand, the other being the
South Island.
Several important cities are in the North Island, notably New Zealand's largest city,
Auckland, and
Wellington, the capital, located at the southern extremity of the island. Around 76% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.
Māori mythology says that the North and South Islands of New Zealand came from the time of
Māui, who was a demigod.
The story goes that he and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up.
This great fish became the North Island and thus the Māori name for the North Island is
Te Ika a Māui (The Fish of Maui). The mountains and valleys are said to have been formed as a result of Māui's brothers' hacking at the fish.
The island is 113,729 square km in area
[Statistics New Zealand Geography - physical features], making it the
world's 14th-largest island.
Historical note
On some 19th century maps, the North Island is named
New Munster.
Grammatical note
The definite article is used with the names of the North and South islands, as
the North Island and
the South Island, like
the North Sea and
the Western World, but unlike
Rangitoto Island or
West Point. Maps, headings or tables and adjectival expressions use
North Island, whereas
the North Island is used after a preposition or before or after a verb, e.g.
my mother lives in the North Island,
the North Island is smaller than the South Island, or
I'm visiting the North Island.
When specifying the island where a place, person, or object is located, it is normal to use the word
in rather than
on, for example
Hamilton is in the North Island.
Nine local government
regions cover the North Island and all its adjacent islands and territorial waters.
*
Northland*
Auckland*
Bay of Plenty*
Gisborne*
Waikato*
Taranaki*
Manawatu-Wanganui*
Hawkes Bay*
Wellington(Smaller urban areas are found on the
List of towns in New Zealand.)
*
Auckland*
Cambridge*
Coromandel*
Foxton*
Gisborne*
Hamilton*
Hastings*
Huntly*
Kerikeri*
Matamata*
Masterton*
Napier*
New Plymouth*
Pahiatua*
Palmerston North*
Raglan*
Rotorua*
Stratford*
Taupo*
Tauranga*
Wellington*
Cape Reinga*
Cook Strait*
Lake Taupo*
Tongariro National Park*
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu*
Waikato River*
Waipoua Kauri Forest*
Waitomo Caves
