| Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in
the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most
populous urban area in the country with over 1.3 million
residents, 31 percent of the country's population. Demographic
trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than
the rest of the country. Increasingly cosmopolitan, Auckland
also has the largest Polynesian population of any city
in the world. and has seen many people of Asian ethnicity
move there in the last two decades.
It is a conurbation,
made up of Auckland City (excluding the Hauraki Gulf islands),
North Shore City, and the urban parts of Waitakere and
Manukau cities, along with Papakura District and some
nearby urban parts of Rodney and Franklin Districts. In
Maori its name is Tamaki-makau-rau, or the transliterated
version of Auckland, Akarana.
Auckland lies
between the Hauraki Gulf of the Pacific Ocean to the east,
the low Hunua Ranges to the south-east, the Manukau Harbour
to the south-west, and the Waitakere Ranges and smaller
ranges to the west and north-west. The central part of
the urban area occupies a narrow isthmus between the Manukau
Harbour on the Tasman Sea and the Waitemata Harbour on
the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the few cities in the
world to have harbours on two separate major bodies of
water.
Early Maori and Europeans
T
he isthmus was first settled around 1350 and was valued
for its rich and fertile land. Many pa (fortified villages)
were created, mainly on the volcanic peaks. Maori population
in the area is estimated at about 20,000 people before
the arrival of Europeans. The subsequent introduction
of firearms, which began in Northland, upset the balance
of power and led to devastating inter-tribal warfare,
causing iwi who lacked the new weapons to seek refuge
in areas less exposed to coastal raids. As a result, the
region had relatively low numbers of Maori when European
settlement of New Zealand began. There is, however, nothing
to suggest that this was the result of a deliberate European
policy. On 27 January 1832, Joseph Brooks Weller, eldest
of the Weller brothers of Otago and Sydney bought land
including the sites of the modern cities of Auckland and
North Shore and part of Rodney District, for "one
large cask of powder" from "Cohi Rangatira".
After the signing of the Treaty
of Waitangi in February 1840, the new Governor of New
Zealand, William Hobson, chose the area as his new capital,
and named it after the George Eden, Earl of Auckland,
then Viceroy of India However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson
(later Wellington) was seen as a better choice for an
administrative capital because of its proximity to the
South Island, which was being settled much more rapidly.
At the same time, Auckland was the capital and principal
city of the Auckland Province, remaining so until the
provincial system was abolished in 1876. Immigration to
the new city remained strong, however, even after it lost
its status as national capital in 1865.
The isthmus was first settled around
1350 and was valued for its rich and fertile land. Many
pa (fortified villages) were created, mainly on the volcanic
peaks. Maori population in the area is estimated at about
20,000 people before the arrival of Europeans. The subsequent
introduction of firearms, which began in Northland, upset
the balance of power and led to devastating inter-tribal
warfare, causing iwi who lacked the new weapons to seek
refuge in areas less exposed to coastal raids. As a result,
the region had relatively low numbers of Maori when European
settlement of New Zealand began. There is, however, nothing
to suggest that this was the result of a deliberate European
policy. On 27 January 1832, Joseph Brooks Weller, eldest
of the Weller brothers of Otago and Sydney bought land
including the sites of the modern cities of Auckland and
North Shore and part of Rodney District, for "one
large cask of powder" from "Cohi Rangatira".
After the signing of the Treaty
of Waitangi in February 1840, the new Governor of New
Zealand, William Hobson, chose the area as his new capital,
and named it after the George Eden, Earl of Auckland,
then Viceroy of India. However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson
(later Wellington) was seen as a better choice for an
administrative capital because of its proximity to the
South Island, which was being settled much more rapidly.
At the same time, Auckland was the capital and principal
city of the Auckland Province, remaining so until the
provincial system was abolished in 1876. Immigration to
the new city remained strong, however, even after it lost
its status as national capital in 1865.
Growth up to today I
n the early 1860s, Auckland became a base against the
Maori King Movement. This, and continued road building
towards the south into the Waikato, enabled Pakeha (European
New Zealanders) influence to spread from Auckland. Its
population also grew fairly rapidly, from 1,500 in 1841
to 12,423 by 1864. The growth occurred similarly to other
mercantile-dominated cities, mainly around the port and
with problems of overcrowding and pollution.
Trams and railway lines shaped Auckland's rapid expansion
in the early first half of the 20th century, but soon
afterward the dominance of the motor vehicle emerged and
has not abated since; arterial roads and motorways have
become both defining and geographically dividing features
of the urban landscape. They also allowed further massive
expansion that resulted in the growth of associated urban
areas like the North Shore (especially after the construction
of the Auckland Harbour Bridge), and Manukau City in the
south.
A large percentage of Auckland is still dominated by a
very suburban style of building, giving the city a very
low population density. Although it has no more than a
sixth of the population of London, it sprawls over an
area almost as large (over 1,000 km2), making some services
like public transport costlier than in other, high-density,
cities, but also allowing most Aucklanders to live in
similar residential houses as the rest of New Zealand,
though the section sizes are much smaller than in most
of the rest of the country.
Future growth
Auckland is expecting substantial population growth via
immigration and natural population increases (which contribute
to growth at about one-third and two-thirds, respectively),
and is set to grow to an estimated 2 million inhabitants
by 2050. This substantial increase in population will
have a major impact on transport, housing and other infrastructure
that is in many cases already considered under pressure.
It is also feared by some organisations, such as the Auckland
Regional Council, that urban sprawl will result from the
growth and, as a result, that it is necessary to address
this proactively in planning policy.
A 'Regional Growth Strategy' has been adopted that sees
limits on further subdivision and intensification of existing
use as its main sustainability measures. This policy is
contentious, as it naturally limits the uses of private
land, especially the subdivision of urban fringe properties,
by setting 'Metropolitan Urban Limits' in planning documents
like the District Plan.
A related issue is the current discussion about local
government, with widely differing views. Some Aucklanders
blame limited progress on Auckland's issues on poor governance
and the fragmentation of the city into various councils
(currently seven "City/District" authorities,
plus one "Regional" authority). Others point
to the fact that a previous integration of the many much
smaller Borough Councils did not bring the promised advantages
either, and reduced local participation in politics. In
2007, the government set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry
which will report back on what restructuring should be
done.
Volcanoes
Auckland straddles the volcanoes of the Auckland Volcanic
Field. The approximately 50 volcanic vents in the field
take the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands and depressions,
and several have produced extensive lava flows. Most of
the cones have been partly or completely quarried away.
The individual volcanoes are all considered extinct, although
the volcanic field itself is merely dormant.
The most recent and by far the largest volcano, Rangitoto
Island, was formed within the last 1000 years, and its
eruptions destroyed the Maori settlements on neighbouring
Motutapu Island some 700 years ago. Rangitoto's size,
its symmetry, its position guarding the entrance to Waitemata
Harbour and its visibility from many parts of the Auckland
region make it Auckland's most iconic natural feature.
Few birds and insects inhabit the island because of the
rich acidic soil and the type of flora growing out of
the rocky soil.
Harbours and Gulf
Auckland lies on and around an isthmus, less than 2 kilometres
wide at its narrowest point, between Mangere Inlet and
the Tamaki River. There are two harbours in the Auckland
urban area surrounding this isthmus: Waitemata Harbour
to the north, which opens east to the Hauraki Gulf, and
Manukau Harbour to the south, which opens west to the
Tasman Sea.
Bridges span parts of both harbours, notably the Auckland
Harbour Bridge crossing the Waitemata Harbour west of
the Auckland Central Business District (CBD). The Mangere
Bridge and the Upper Harbour Bridge span the upper reaches
of the Manukau and Waitemata Harbours, respectively. In
earlier times, portage paths crossed the narrowest sections
of the isthmus.
Several islands of the Hauraki Gulf are administered as
part of Auckland City, though they are not officially
part of the Auckland metropolitan area. Parts of Waiheke
Island effectively function as Auckland suburbs, while
various smaller islands near Auckland are mostly zoned
'recreational open space' or are nature sanctuaries.
Climate
Auckland has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid
summers and mild, damp winters. It is the warmest main
centre of New Zealand and is also one of the sunniest,
with an average of 2060 sunshine hours per annum The average
daily maximum temperature is 23.7 °C in February,
and 14.5 °C in July, the absolute maximum recorded
temperature is 30.5 °C, while the absolute minimum
is -2.5. High levels of rainfall occur almost year-round
with an average of 1240 mm per year spread over 137 'rain
days'. Climatic conditions vary in different parts of
the city owing to geography such as hills, land cover
and distance from the sea, hence unofficial Auckland temperature
records exist, such as a maximum of 32.4 °C in Henderson
during February 1998. On 27 July 1939 Auckland received
its only recorded snowfall.
The early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather,
before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as
1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in
the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness
holds, and a perfect calm prevails..." Many Aucklanders
used this time of day to walk and run in parks.
As car ownership rates are very high and emissions controls
relatively weak, Auckland suffers from some air pollution,
especially in regards to fine particles emissions. There
are also regular breaches of guideline levels of carbon
monoxide.[23] While maritime winds normally disperse the
pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible
as smog, especially on calm winter days.
Cultures
Auckland
is home to many cultures. The majority of inhabitants
claim European - predominantly British - descent, but
substantial Maori, Pacific Islander and Asian communities
exist as well. Auckland has the largest Polynesian population
of any city in the world and a higher proportion of people
of Asian origin than the rest of New Zealand. Ethnic groups
from all corners of the world have a presence in Auckland,
making it by far the country's most cosmopolitan city.
Demographics
The proportion of Asians and other Non-European immigrants
has increased during the last decades due to immigration,
and the removal of restrictions directly or indirectly
based on race. Immigration to New Zealand is heavily concentrated
towards Auckland (partly for job market reasons). This
strong focus on Auckland has led the immigration services
to award extra points towards immigration visa requirements
for people intending to move to other parts of New Zealand.
The following table shows the ethnic profile of Auckland's
population, as recorded in the 2001 and 2006 New Zealand
Census. The percentages add up to more than 100%, as some
people counted themselves as belonging to more than one
ethnic group. Figures for 2006 refer to the whole Auckland
Region, not just the urban area. The substantial percentage
drop of 'Europeans' was mainly caused by the increasing
numbers of people from this group choosing to define themselves
as 'New Zealanders' - even though this was not one of
the groups listed on the census form.
Religion
Similar to the rest of the country, over half
of Aucklanders profess Christianity, but fewer than 10%
regularly attend church and almost 40% profess no religious
affiliation (2001 census figures). The main denominations
are Roman Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian. Pentecostal
and charismatic churches are the fastest growing. A small
community of Coptic Orthodox Christians is also present.
Recent immigration from Asia has added to the religious
diversity of the city, so now about 10% of the population
follow such beliefs as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism,
although there are no figures on religious attendance.
There is also a small, long-established Jewish community.
Lifestyle
Positive aspects of Auckland life are its mild climate,
plentiful employment and educational opportunities, as
well as numerous leisure facilities. Meanwhile, traffic
problems (compared to other New Zealand cities), the lack
of good public transport, and increasing housing costs
have been cited by many Aucklanders as among the strongest
negative factors of living there, together with crime.
Nonetheless, Auckland currently ranks 5th in a survey
of the quality of life of 218 major cities of the world
(2008 data, rank unchanged since 2006). In 2006, Auckland
placed 23rd on the UBS list of the world's richest cities.
Lifestyle
Positive aspects of Auckland life are its mild
climate, plentiful employment and educational opportunities,
as well as numerous leisure facilities. Meanwhile, traffic
problems (compared to other New Zealand cities), the lack
of good public transport, and increasing housing costs
have been cited by many Aucklanders as among the strongest
negative factors of living there, together with crime.
Nonetheless, Auckland currently ranks 5th in a survey
of the quality of life of 218 major cities of the world
(2008 data, rank unchanged since 2006). In 2006, Auckland
placed 23rd on the UBS list of the world's richest cities.
Parks and nature
Auckland Domain is one of the largest parks within the
city, situated close to the CBD and having a good view
of the Gulf and of Rangitoto island. Smaller parks also
close to the city centre are Albert Park, Myers Park,
Western Park and Victoria Park.
While most volcanic cones in the Auckland Volcanic Field
have been affected by quarrying, many of the remaining
cones are now ensconced within parks, and retain a somewhat
more natural character than the surrounding city. Prehistoric
earthworks and historic fortifications feature in several
of these parks, including Mount Eden, North Head and One
Tree Hill (Maungakiekie).
Other parks around the city are in Western Springs, which
has a large park bordering on the MOTAT museum and the
Auckland Zoo. The Auckland Botanic Gardens are located
further south in Manurewa.
Ferries provide transport to parks and nature reserves
at Devonport, Waiheke Island, Rangitoto Island and Tiritiri
Matangi. The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park to the west
of Auckland offers beautiful and relatively unspoiled
bush territory, as do the Hunua Ranges to the south.
Sport
The most popular sports in Auckland and New Zealand in
general are cricket and rugby. Auckland has a considerable
number of rugby and cricket grounds, and venues for motorsports,
tennis, badminton, netball, swimming, soccer, rugby league,
and many other sports. Waitemata Harbour has popular swimming
beaches at Mission Bay, Devonport, Takapuna, Long Bay
and Maraetai, and the west coast has popular surf spots
such as Piha and Muriwai. Many Auckland beaches are patrolled
by surf lifesaving clubs, which are part of Surf Life
Saving Northern Region.
Economy
Most major international corporations have an Auckland
office, as the city is seen as the economic capital of
the nation. The most expensive office space is around
lower Queen Street and the Viaduct Basin in the Auckland
CBD, where many financial and business services are located,
which make up a large percentage of the CBD economy. A
large proportion of the technical and trades workforce
is based in the industrial zones of South Auckland.
The largest commercial and industrial areas of Greater
Auckland are in the southeast of Auckland City as well
as in the western parts of Manukau City, mostly in the
areas bordering the Manukau Harbour and the Tamaki River
estuary.
Auckland's status as the largest commercial centre of
the country reflects in the high median personal income
(per working person, per year) which was NZ$44,304 (approx.
US$33,000) for the region in 2005, with jobs in the Auckland
CBD often earning more. The median personal income (for
all persons older than 15 years of age, per year) was
NZ$22,300 (2001), behind only North Shore City (also part
of the Greater Auckland area) and Wellington. While office
workers still account for a large part of Auckland's commuters,
large office developments in other parts of the city,
for example in Takapuna or Albany, both North Shore City,
are slowly becoming more common, reducing concentration
on the Auckland CBD somewhat.
Education
Auckland has a number of important educational institutions,
including some of the largest universities in the country.
Auckland is also known to be a major centre of overseas
language education, with large numbers of foreign students
(particularly East Asians) coming to the city for several
months or years to learn English or study at universities
- although numbers New Zealand-wide have dropped substantially
since peaking in 2003. As of 2007, there are around 50
NZQA certified schools and institutes teaching English
in the Auckland area.
Auckland has a multitude of primary and secondary schools,
with the Auckland Grammar School (for boys), Mount Roskill
Grammar School, Mount Albert Grammar School, Auckland
Girls' Grammar School and the Epsom Girls' Grammar School
being amongst the most famous. The city also has several
private schools such as King's College, Auckland International
College, and Diocesan School for Girls. Auckland contains
New Zealand's three largest (by full-time student numbers)
high schools: Rangitoto College, Avondale College and
Massey High School respectively. It also contains New
Zealand's largest Catholic school, St Peter's College.
Amongst the most important tertiary educational institutes
are the University of Auckland (city and Tamaki Campus),
Auckland University of Technology (city campus), Massey
University (Albany campus) and the Manukau Institute of
Technology (Otara campus), with Unitec New Zealand (Mt
Albert campus) being the largest technical institute in
Auckland.
Housing
Housing varies considerably between some suburbs
having state owned housing in the lower income neighbourhoods,
to palatial waterfront estates, especially on the Waitemata.
Traditionally, the most common residence of Aucklanders
was a bungalow on a 'quarter acre' (1,000 m²), however
subdividing such properties with 'infill housing', has
long been the norm. Aucklanders' housing preferences have
resulted in a large urban sprawl and reliance on motor
vehicles. This will likely continue, as the vast majority
of Aucklanders live in low-density housing, which is expected
to remain at up to 70% of the total share even in 2050.
In some areas, the Victorian villas are being increasingly
torn down to make way for large plaster mansions with
tennis courts and swimming pools. The rampant demolition
of the older properties is being combated by the Auckland
City Council passing laws that cover heritage suburbs
or streets. Auckland has been described as having 'the
most extensive range of timbered housing with its classical
details and mouldings in the world', many of them Victorian-Edwardian
style houses.
Transport
Road and rail
Auckland is highly dependent on private vehicles as the
main form of transportation, with only around 5% of all
journeys in the Auckland region being undertaken by bus
(1998 data), though these numbers have since improved
somewhat. This results in substantial traffic congestion
during peak times.
Bus services in Auckland are mostly radial rather than
ring-routes, due to Auckland being on an isthmus. Late-night
services (i.e. past midnight) are limited, even on weekends.
Train services are mainly limited to some commuter services
routes to the west and southeast of Auckland, with longer-distance
options scarce. Currently (2007) approximately NZ$ 5.3
billion worth of large-scale projects are underway or
planned (and budgeted for) in the Auckland area to improve
rail and public transport patronage over the next decade,
a share of 31% of the whole transport budget.
Other modes
Auckland's ports are the largest of the country, and a
large part of both inbound and outbound New Zealand commerce
travels through them, mostly via the facilities located
to the northeast of the Auckland City CBD. Freight usually
arrives / is distributed from the port via road, though
the port facilities also have rail access. Auckland is
also a major cruise ship stopover point, with the ships
usually tying up at Princes Wharf. Auckland CBD is also
connected to various outlying coastal suburbs, to North
Shore City and to outlying islands by ferry.
Auckland has various small regional airports as well as
Auckland Airport, the busiest of the country.
Policies
Research at Griffith University has indicated
that in the last 50 years, Auckland has engaged in some
of the most pro-automobile transport policies anywhere
in the world. With public transport declining heavily
during the second half of the 20th century (a trend mirrored
in most Western countries such as the US), and increased
spending on roads and cars, New Zealand (and specifically
Auckland) now has the second-highest vehicle ownership
rate in the world, with around 578 vehicles per 1000 people.
Auckland has also been called a very pedestrian- and cyclist-unfriendly
city, though efforts are underway to improve this aspect.
The harbour bridge from North Shore City.
Infrastructure
The State Highway network connects the cities located
in the Auckland urban area, the most frequently travelled
being the Northern, Southern, Northwestern and Southwestern
Motorways.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge (Northern Motorway) is the
main connection to North Shore City, and also a major
road bottleneck. The Harbour Bridge does not provide general
access to pedestrians or cyclists, a fact which has recently
(2008) led to calls for and investigations into retrofitting
the structure.
The Central Motorway Junction, also called 'Spaghetti
Junction' for its complexity, forms the intersection between
the two major motorways of Auckland (State Highway 1 and
State Highway 16) as well as connecting them to the surrounding
parts of the city.
Two of the longest arterial roads within Greater Auckland
are Great North Road and Great South Road - the main connections
in those directions before the construction of the State
Highway network.
Auckland has three main railway lines, serving the general
western, southern, and central eastern directions from
the Britomart Transport Centre. Located in downtown Auckland,
it is the terminal station for all lines, and connects
them to ferry and bus services. |
