Auckland

The Māori-language name for Auckland is Tāmaki Makaurau, meaning "Tāmaki desired by many", in reference to the desirability of its natural resources and geography. There are various theories of the origin of the name "Tāmaki", which is also used to refer to an eastern suburb of Auckland. It is regarded by some to be the isthmus between the two harbours of the area, which is variously said to be named after a son of Maruiwi from Taranaki, a line of chiefs from the southern Taranaki, or a female leader of Ngāti Te Ata. Other versions of the name include Tāmakinui (great Tāmaki) or Tāmaki-herehere-ngā-waka (Tāmaki that binds many canoes). William Hobson named the area after George Eden, Earl of Auckland, British First Lord of the Admiralty. The Earldom of Auckland was named after West Auckland, a village in County Durham, Northern England. …

The Auckland isthmus was settled by Māori around 1350, and was valued for its rich and fertile land. Many pā (fortified villages) were built, mainly on the volcanic peaks. By the early 1700s, Te Waiohua, a confederation of tribes such as Ngā Oho, Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi, was the main tribal group on the Auckland isthmus, with major pā at Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, Māngere Mountain and Maungataketake. The confederation came to an end around 1741 when paramount chief Kiwi Tāmaki was killed in battle by Te Waha-akiaki, a chief of the Ngāti Whātua hapū Te Taoū. From the 1740s, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei were the main tribe on the Auckland isthmus. The Māori population in the area is estimated to have been about 20,000 before the arrival of Europeans. …

The boundaries of Auckland are imprecisely defined. The Auckland urban area, as it is defined by Statistics New Zealand under the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA18), spans 607.07 square kilometres (234.39 sq mi) and extends to Long Bay in the north, Swanson in the north-west, and Runciman in the south. Auckland's functional urban area (commuting zone) extends from just south of Warkworth in the north to Meremere in the south, incorporating the Hibiscus Coast in the northeast, Helensville, Parakai, Muriwai, Waimauku, Kumeū-Huapai, and Riverhead in the northwest, Beachlands-Pine Harbour and Maraetai in the east, and Pukekohe, Clarks Beach, Patumāhoe, Waiuku, Tuakau and Pōkeno (the latter two in the Waikato region) in the south. Auckland forms New Zealand's largest urban area. …

Auckland has a diversity of architectural styles, resulting from its early beginnings as a settlement, the Victorian period, the 20th century and through to the contemporary era of the 21st century. Legislation is in effect to protect the remaining heritage, with the key piece being the Resource Management Act of 1991. Prepared under this legislation is the Auckland Unitary Plan, which indicates how land can be used or developed. Prominent historic buildings in Auckland include the Dilworth Building, the Auckland Ferry Terminal, Guardian Trust Building, Old Customs House, Landmark House, the Auckland Town Hall and the Britomart Transport Centre – many of these are located on Queen Street, the main street. …

In 1891, the three main items exported from Auckland's port were: kauri gum, gold, and wool. These exports were collectively worth almost a million pounds. Auckland is the major economic and financial centre of New Zealand. It has an advanced market economy with strengths in finance, commerce, and tourism. Most major international corporations have an Auckland office; 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 constitute a large percentage of the CBD economy. The largest commercial and industrial areas of the Auckland Region are Auckland CBD and the western parts of Manukau, mostly bordering the Manukau Harbour and the Tāmaki River estuary. …

During the 19th century the main forms of transport to and from Auckland were ferries and trains, with horses being used for shorter distances and trips within the city. From 1902 electric trams provided transport for the central isthmus and resulted in residential expansion in the area. Following the First World War car ownership started to increase and concrete and bitumen roads were built to accommodate this. The State Highway network connects the different parts of Auckland, with State Highway 1 the major north–south thoroughfare through the city (including both the Northern and Southern Motorways) and the main connection to the adjoining regions of Northland and Waikato. The Northern Busway runs alongside part of the Northern Motorway on the North Shore. …