Regions of New Zealand

local government areas of New Zealand

New Zealand is divided into 16 regions (Māori: ngā rohe) for local government purposes.

Regions
Regions of New ZealandNorthlandAucklandAucklandAucklandWaikatoBay of PlentyGisborneHawke's BayTaranakiManawatū-WhanganuiWellingtonTasmanTasmanNelsonMarlboroughMarlboroughWest CoastWest CoastCanterburyOtagoSouthlandSouthland
Regions of New Zealand
CategoryUnitary state
Location New Zealand
Number16
Populations32,900 (West Coast) – 1,739,300 (Auckland)
Areas450 km2 (172 sq mi) (Nelson) – 45,350 km2 (17,508 sq mi) (Canterbury)
GovernmentLocal government
SubdivisionsTerritorial authority

List of regions

change
Name
(name in Māori if different)
Regional council Seats Council seat Island Land area
(km2)[1]
Population[2] Density

(pop./km2)

ISO 3166-2 Code
1 Northland
Te Tai Tokerau
Northland Regional Council 9 Whangārei North 12,504 203,900 16.31 NZ-NTL
2 Auckland(1)
Tāmaki-makau-rau
Auckland Council 21 Auckland North 4,941 1,739,300 352.01 NZ-AUK
3 Waikato Waikato Regional Council 14 Hamilton North 23,900 522,600 21.87 NZ-WKO
4 Bay of Plenty
Te Moana-a-Toi
Bay of Plenty Regional Council 14 Whakatāne North 12,072 354,100 29.33 NZ-BOP
5 Gisborne(1)(2)
Te Tairāwhiti
Gisborne District Council 14 Gisborne North 8,385 52,600 6.27 NZ-GIS
6 Hawke's Bay
Te Matau-a-Māui
Hawke's Bay Regional Council 9 Napier North 14,138 184,800 13.07 NZ-HKB
7 Taranaki Taranaki Regional Council 11 Stratford North 7,254 128,700 17.74 NZ-TKI
8 Manawatū-Whanganui Horizons Regional Council 12 Palmerston North North 22,221 260,900 11.74 NZ-MWT
9 Wellington
Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara
Greater Wellington Regional Council 13 Wellington North 8,049 550,500 68.39 NZ-WGN
10 Tasman(1)
Te Tai-o-Aorere
Tasman District Council 13 Richmond South 9,616 59,400 6.18 NZ-TAS
11 Nelson(1)
Whakatū
Nelson City Council 13 Nelson South 422 55,600 131.75 NZ-NSN
12 Marlborough(1)
Te Tauihu-o-te-waka
Marlborough District Council 14 Blenheim South 10,458 52,200 4.97 NZ-MBH
13 West Coast
Te Tai Poutini
West Coast Regional Council 7 Greymouth South 23,245 32,900 1.42 NZ-WTC
14 Canterbury
Waitaha
Environment Canterbury 14 Christchurch South 44,504 666,300 14.97 NZ-CAN
15 Otago
Ōtākou
Otago Regional Council 12 Dunedin South 31,186 254,600 8.16 NZ-OTA
16 Southland
Murihiku
Southland Regional Council 12 Invercargill South 31,196 103,900 3.33 NZ-STL

Notes:

(1) These regions have unitary authorities.

(2) The Gisborne Region is still widely but unofficially known by its former name East Cape or as the East Coast.[3]

References

change
  1. "Regional Council 2020 Clipped (generalised)". Stats NZ. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  2. "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  3. Soutar, Monty (1 March 2015). "East Coast places - Gisborne". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 4 April 2020.