Auckland - Nau Mai Haere Mai, Welcome
Regional snapshot
- New Zealand’s largest and fastest growing region
- Home to 1.3 million people
- Over 1600 kilometres of coastline and 25 regional parks
- Auckland’s Sky Tower is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere (328 metres)
- Auckland accounts for one third of the national economy
- The largest Polynesian region in the world.
Diverse natural beauty and a cosmopolitan lifestyle
Stretching from the wild, expansive west coast and the Tasman Sea, to the white sand beaches of the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Auckland region is a marine playground, a gateway to other parts of New Zealand, and a centre for commerce, entertainment and education.
A unique and refreshing mix of people, places and cultures
Auckland is ethnically diverse and geographically varied. With four cities and three districts, the region offers a unique blend of places and spaces.
Auckland city is home to the region’s central business district and the Viaduct with restaurants, bars and apartment living right on the edge of the Waitemata Harbour. To the south there is the ethnically diverse city of Manukau and the rural districts of Papakura and Franklin where agriculture and market gardening thrive. Waitakere city and west Rodney feature established wineries, black sand beaches and the Waitakere Ranges which provide a backdrop to Auckland’s urban area. North east Rodney features stunning white sand beaches and the Tawharanui Regional Park – an open sanctuary allowing the regeneration of native flora and fauna, including kiwi. South of Rodney is North Shore city, where beaches and city living meet, and the CBD just a short drive away across the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
An unmatchable approach to life
Auckland's islands, bush and glistening harbours are set against the backdrop of a modern city environment, providing a platform for a lifestyle ranked fifth in the world for its overall quality of life - ahead of Sydney and Melbourne (2007 Mercer Index).
Whether you want an outdoors lifestyle or an urban playground, Auckland has something for everyone.
Working in Auckland
In Auckland, the property and business services, manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, health and community services and education sectors provide the majority of all jobs. Information and communications technology continues to grow along with niche areas such as screen production and biotechnology. The region is also home to some of New Zealand’s most innovative companies including Orca, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Navman.
Two-thirds of the county’s top 200 companies and nearly a quarter of the world’s fortune 500 companies have a presence in the Auckland region, and approximately 34% of employees work in businesses that have more than 100 people.
Getting Around
While cars are the most common mode of transport, Auckland is well served by public transport, with bus, train and ferry services covering much of the region. Ever expanding cycle networks offer an alternative for commuters and recreational cyclists, and many schools are introducing ‘walking school buses’ where children walk to school together along a set route, picking up more children as they go – just like a school bus without the wheels.
Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand, with the vast majority of visitors arriving at Auckland International Airport. The region’s motorway network connects people to the corners of the region and other parts of New Zealand.
Learning Opportunities
Auckland is the education hub of New Zealand. The region boasts more than 530 schools, two universities - the University of Auckland, which is ranked as one of the top 50 universities in the world, and Auckland University of Technology, satellite campuses for other New Zealand universities, plus a number of polytechs, technical institutes and private training organisations.
Eight of New Zealand’s nine crown research institutes have research and development operations located in the Auckland region, and there are numerous research institutes and facilities within Auckland universities and technical institutions.
Auckland
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