description
The Bay of Plenty, often
abbreviated to BoP, is a region of New Zealand situated
around the body of water of the same name.
The bay stretches from the Coromandel Peninsula in the
west to Cape Runaway in the east. The region is bound by
the Kaimai and Mamaku Ranges in the west and extends
inland to the sparsely populated forest lands around
Rotorua, Kawerau and Murupara. Several islands are
located in the bay, notably Mayor Island/Tuhua, Motiti
Island, Whale Island and, most famously, the active
volcano of Whakaari/White Island.
The bay was named by James Cook some time during
November 1769. Cook named it the Bay of Plenty after he
noticed the abundant food supplies at several Māori
villages he visited on the coast, in stark contrast to
the observations he had made earlier in Poverty Bay.
The local government region has a 2004 estimated
population of 257,500, which is forecasted to increase
to 277,900 by the year 2011. The region is dominated by
two cities: Tauranga (population 106,500) and Rotorua
(55,100). As a compromise between the cities, the town
of Whakatane was selected as the seat for the Bay of
Plenty Regional Council. Other towns in the region
include Te Puke, Katikati and Opotiki. Agriculture and
tourism are the region's two main industries, with the
geothermal region around Rotorua being a popular tourist
destination.
The area is forested and has extensive agriculture. The
climate is nearly tropical, being both humid and warm
most of the year. Notable crops are kiwifruit, apples,
avocados and timber. As with most of New Zealand, sheep
farming is common. |
