Northland (region), New Zealand
Northland is a region located at the northern tip of New Zealand's North Island, characterized by its narrow peninsula and surrounded by the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean. Covering approximately 12,600 square kilometers, it boasts a coastline of around 1,700 kilometers, featuring numerous bays, beaches, and harbors that attract outdoor enthusiasts and holidaymakers. Northland, known as Te Tai Tokerau in Māori, has deep historical significance as it was the arrival point of the first Polynesians and the site where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The region has a rich Māori heritage, with 37.4% of its 194,007 residents identifying as Māori, including prominent tribes such as Ngāpuhi and Te Aupōuri.
Whangarei serves as the main population center, while the area is home to a blend of rural communities. The subtropical climate allows for diverse agricultural activities, including pastoral farming, which remains a crucial part of Northland's economy. The region is also focusing on diversifying its economic base, enhancing industries such as tourism and digital technology. With a predominantly English-speaking population, Northland reflects a mix of cultural identities, including significant European and Māori influences, making it a unique area within New Zealand's rich tapestry.
Northland (region), New Zealand
Northland occupies a narrow peninsula on the northernmost part of North Island. It is surrounded by the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean. To its south lies the Auckland region. Its total land area is 12,600 square kilometres, and its coastline is about 1,700 kilometres long. Its many wide harbours, small bays and beaches and subtropical climate promote outdoor recreation and water activities and make it a popular destination for holiday. Offshore islands include Simmons Island, Taranga Island and Great Island (Manawatāwhi).
The site of the arrival of the first Polynesians to migrate to New Zealand, it has a rich Māori and European history and was the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Historic sites include Kerikeri Mission Station, Te Waimate Mission and Pompallier Mission and Printery. Known as Te Tai Tokerau, meaning "the northern tide", among Māoris, Northland has one of the largest populations of Māori people in New Zealand. Its main population centre is Whangarei, which is home to almost one-third of the region's residents. Much of the remainder of the population lives in small, rural communities.
Historical Perspective
Historians are unsure when the first humans inhabited New Zealand due to the lack of ecological and archaeological evidence showing human habitation before 1280 CE. According to Māori tradition, the Polynesian explorer Kupe was the first person to arrive in New Zealand. He travelled from Hawaiki and landed at Hokianga Harbour in Northland around 1000 CE. He explored several parts of North Island, including the Northland and Wairarapa regions and areas around Cook Strait. His descendants were living in these regions when immigrants from Hawaiki arrived in canoes around 1300 CE. Those immigrants landed at several sites in Northland, including Hokianga (Ngātokimatawhaorua), near North Cape (Kurahaupō) and Ōmāmari and the Whāngāpē Harbour (Māmari). By the 1700s, Northland was the most populated region of New Zealand.
In 1769, British navigator James Cook first sighted New Zealand. Traders and whalers soon followed. Whalers established the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand at Kororāreka (later named Russell) in the early nineteenth century. Missionaries came next, setting up stations in the Bay of Islands in 1814; at Paihia, Kaeo and Mangungu in the 1820s; and at Kaitāia and Kororāreka in the 1830s. By the mid-nineteenth century, there were several European settlements in the region. On 6 February 1840, Māori chiefs and representatives of the British government signed the Treaty of Waitangi at the Treaty House in Waitangi. European settlement grew slowly in Northland for the next one hundred years, with the government offering land to promote British settlement and provide financial assistance to spur economic development. By the mid-twentieth century, the region had established a strong dairy farm industry and its population expanded.
Geography and Climate
Located on the North Auckland peninsula, Northland lies between the latitudes of 34 and 36 degrees south. It has a subtropical climate, with warm and humid summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures range from 14 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius, while the coldest months of June to August have temperatures between 7 degrees Celsius and 16 degrees Celsius. Situated just north of the anticyclone centres that cross New Zealand, it tends to have high rainfall and be windy year round, although it also experiences ample sunshine. Low coastal areas receive annual rainfalls around 1,000 millimetres, while higher elevations receive up to 2,000 millimetres. While tropical cyclones are rare, the region typically experiences a few tropical storms a year, usually between December and April.
The peninsula is narrow, with its width ranging from 7.5 kilometres to 85 kilometres. The eastern coastline has several small bays, including Bay of Islands and Doubtless Bay, sandy beaches and deep harbours. The western coastline has many shallow harbours, bluffs and beaches. Inland, the land is rolling hills, with the highest peaks just about 780 metres above sea level. The region has numerous rivers and streams. The largest river is the Northern Wairoa River. Other major rivers are the Awanui, Kerikeri, Waitangi and Kawakawa Rivers.
Economy
Northland's main industries are manufacturing; agriculture, forestry and fishing; and rental, hiring and real estate services. With more than 200,000 each of sheep, dairy cattle and beef cattle, Northland's livestock outnumber its human residents. Pastoral farming has long been a part of Northland's economy. According to the World Bank, about 6 per cent of the region worked in agriculture in 2022.
According to the 2018 Census, 19.1 per cent of Northland's population were managers and 18.6 were professionals. Labourers comprised 14.4 per cent while technicians and trade workers comprised 12.7 per cent.
Northland has implemented measures to promote economic growth by diversifying, strengthening its existing industries and growing the tourism industry. According to Northland Regional Council, in 2022, it was focucing on pastoral farming, horticulture and plant-growing, digital technology, and construction.
Demographics
The Northland region's resident population in 2023 was 194,007, according to Statistics New Zealand. Based on the 2023 Census, Northland had an older population than the nation as a whole. The median age was 42.6 years, compared to the national median of 38 years. According to the 2018 Census, about 6.5 per cent of the population was aged sixty-five or over, compared to 15.2 per cent for the nation. Māoris made up a higher percentage of the population than the national average, with 37.4 per cent of the population in 2023 reporting Māori heritage. The main tribes were Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātu and Ngātiwai. With the census allowing more than one ethnic affiliation, 73 per cent of the population claimed European heritage, 4.92 per cent claimed Pacific Islander heritage and 4.8 per cent claimed Asian (including Indian).
In 2021, the percentage of Northlanders born overseas was 16.1 per cent, lower than the national average of 25.2 per cent. The majority of the population spoke English, while almost 14 per cent spoke more than one language. The next most common language was te reo Māori, which was spoken by about 10 per cent of the population.
Bibliography
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"Northland." New Zealand Now. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, New Zealand Government, 1 Jan. 2017, www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/regions-nz/northland. Accessed 18 June 2024.
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"Northland's Coast and Us." Northland Regional Council, www.nrc.govt.nz/For-Schools/Northlands-Coast-and-Us. Accessed 18 June 2024.
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