Waikato (region), New Zealand
The Waikato region is situated in the central part of New Zealand's North Island and encompasses approximately 25,000 square kilometers. It shares borders with several regions, including Auckland to the north and Taranaki to the southeast, while its western coast meets the Tasman Sea. Waikato is renowned for its fertile pastureland, making it New Zealand's leading dairy production area and home to a significant portion of the country’s geothermal resources, which contribute both to electricity generation and tourism. The region's largest city, Hamilton, serves as its commercial hub and government seat, while other notable towns include Tokoroa, Cambridge, and Te Awamutu.
Historically, Waikato has a rich cultural legacy, beginning with Māori settlements established in the thirteenth century and marked by significant conflicts during the nineteenth century, which shaped its demographic and land ownership patterns. Today, the region has a diverse population of approximately 522,600 residents, with a notable Māori community. The economy is bolstered by agriculture, particularly dairy and forestry, along with growing sectors in manufacturing and tourism, the latter enhanced by its scenic landscapes and geothermal attractions. Waikato's temperate climate and abundant water resources further support its agricultural vitality and ecological diversity.
Waikato (region), New Zealand
The Waikato region is located in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is bordered by the Auckland region to the north, the Bay of Plenty region to the east, the Manawatu-Wanganui region to the south-west and the Taranaki region to the south-east. Its western coast borders the Tasman Sea, and its north-eastern coast borders the Bay of Plenty. The region covers around 25,000 square kilometres.
Rich in natural resources, the Waikato region's superior pastureland makes it New Zealand's key dairy producer. It possesses 70 per cent of New Zealand's geothermal resources, which provide more than 10 per cent of the nation's electricity and attract millions of tourists every year. The region is also known for its thoroughbred horse racing industry, educational facilities and research institutes.
Hamilton is the region's only city. Located inland on the Waikato River, it is the region's commercial centre and government seat and one of the most populous cities in New Zealand. Major towns are Tokoroa, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Huntly.
Historical Perspective
The first inhabitants of the Waikato region were Māoris who arrived in the Tainui waka (canoe) in the thirteenth century. By the nineteenth century, several Māori tribes occupied the area. Struggles for land often turned violent, and in the 1820s, war broke out between the Waikato and Ngāti Toa tribes. The conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and ended in 1834 when Te Wherowhero, the chief of the Waikato tribe, made peace with his rivals.
European explorers, missionaries and traders began arriving in the coastal region in the 1820s, but they did not form permanent settlements. British missionary William White became perhaps the first European to enter the interior when he scouted it in 1825 for a site for a mission station. In the 1830s he set up mission stations at Kāwhia and Whaingaroa. More missionaries, who maintained good relations with Māoris, arrived and set up stations in the area.
In 1863 British soldiers invaded the Waikato area and waged war on the Waikato peoples. The British used the New Settlements Act 1863 to confiscate most Māori-owned land in western and central Waikato. They then established military posts, which became the region's first permanent European settlements and comprised soldiers and their families. Land speculators soon replaced the military forces, and European settlements grew. By the early twentieth century, several settlements had formed strong economies and the region's development was underway.
Geography and Climate
The natural environment of the Waikato region once included beaches, wetlands and forests. As the region was developed, forests were cleared, wetlands were drained and dwellings built on beaches and in coastal areas. By the twenty-first century, less than 5 per cent of the Waikato Basin and Hauraki Plains wetlands remained undeveloped. The wetlands have been replaced with urban areas, pasturelands and plantation forests.
The Waikato region has a temperate climate. Summers are warm and humid, and winters are mild. Most areas are within eighty kilometres of the sea, which regulates the temperatures. Coastal areas have temperatures of 21 to 26 degrees Celsius in the summer and 10 to 14 degrees Celsius in the winter. Elevated inland areas have greater extremes of temperature. Rainfall is moderate for most of the region, with average annual rainfall around 1,250 millimetres. Rainfall is higher on the Coromandel Peninsula and ranges from 3,000 to 4,500 millimetres. The Kaimai, Coromandel, Hauhungaroa and Paeroa Ranges shield much of the inland areas from the ocean winds, resulting in lower annual average rainfalls of 800 to 1,600 millimetres.
Water is plentiful throughout the Waikato region. The Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, winds through the region, and there are over a hundred lakes, including Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand.
Waikato has a large number of native species that are unique to the region, including freshwater fish and insects, plants, and land birds. An example is the giant cane rush, which grows only in the Waikato wetlands.
Economy
The traditional drivers of Waikato region's economy were the dairy and forestry industries. Other significant industries were manufacturing; healthcare and social assistance; professional, scientific and technical services; and wholesale trade. The region also contributes larger-than-average shares to New Zealand's gross domestic product (GDP) in utilities, construction, and education. However, services make up only 48 per cent of Waikato's GDP, compared to 60 in New Zealand.
Dairying remains a core part of the region's economy. Waikato is New Zealand's primary dairying region and has the largest herd of dairy cattle in the nation. In 2023 it had over 1.2 million dairy cattle. It had the second-largest number of beef cattle, with a total of 464,000. Forestry also remains high, with 7,800 hectares of land harvested. The largest pulp and paper mill in the nation is located in the region. Food processing and manufacturing contribute to the economy, as does high-valued manufacturing, such as agritech, aviation and equipment.
The Waikato region has extensive geothermal and coal resources. It is the nation's primary producer of hydroelectricity and is home to several thermal electricity plants. It is also the largest producer of coal for domestic consumption. Its geothermal resources, such as hot springs, geysers and mud pools, attract large numbers of tourists to the area, as do its scenic landscapes. The region also has been used to shoot scenes in films such as the Lord of the Rings series (2001–3) and the Hobbit series (2012–14).
Demographics
The Waikato region had an estimated resident population of 522,600, according to the 2023 census. There were a greater proportion of Māoris than the national average, with a Māori population of 83,742 people, making up about 14 per cent of the nation's Māori population. People of Pacific ethnicity made up about 3 per cent of the population, compared to the national average of 6.5 per cent. The majority of people were of European ethnicity, with about 7 per cent of the population of Asian ethnicity.
In the 2023 Census, the resident population included 137,742 Māoris. The top country of birth for people born overseas was England. English was spoken by over 80 per cent of the total population, with te reo Māori spoken by 5.6 per cent of the total population. About 23 per cent of the Māori population spoke te reo Māori.
Bibliography
Swarbrick, Nancy. "Waikato Places." Te Ara—The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 11 June 2015, www.teara.govt.nz/en/waikato-places. Accessed 17 June 2024.
Swarbrick, Nancy. "Waikato Region." Te Ara—The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 9 July 2015. www.teara.govt.nz/en/waikato-region. Accessed 17 June 2024.
"Waikato." New Zealand Now, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, New Zealand Government, 5 Sept. 2016, www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/regions-nz/waikato. Accessed 17 June 2024.
"Waikato Regional Information." New Zealand Tourism Guide, www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/regions/waikato/regional-information.html. Accessed 17 June 2024.
"Waikato Wetlands." Department of Conservation, New Zealand Government, www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/about-doc/concessions-and-permits/conservation-revealed/waikato-wetlands-lowres.pdf. Accessed 17 June 2024.