Living in Northland

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Living in Northland
Climate
Economy
Cost of Living
Housing
Education
General Information

BIRTHPLACE OF A NATION

Location

The Northland region starts from about an hour’s drive North of Auckland at Topuni and continues to Cape Reinga at the very tip of New Zealand.

Northland was the region first settled by people from eastern Polynesia and it was also Northland where Europeans first made permanent contact with the Mäori. Russell, in the Bay of Islands, was in fact the first Capital of New Zealand. The region features fertile farmland, orchards, forests and spectacular coastline with some of New Zealand’s finest beaches.

Situated a scenic 2-hour drive North of Auckland, Whangarei is the largest city in the Northland Region with a population of approximately 45,000 (2006 Census).

Population

The usually resident population of the Northland Region is 148,500 (2006 Census).

The region’s population is spread through cities, towns and communities on a land area of 13,800 square km.

The age profile of the Northland Region differs somewhat from the National profile. Northland has a higher proportion of its population aged less than 15 years (25.1% compared with 22.7% nationally). At the other end of the age profile, 13.3% of Northland’s population is aged 65 years or older, compared with 12.1% nationally.

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