description
The Northland Region, one of the
regions of New Zealand, is, as the name suggests, the
northernmost of New Zealand's administrative regions.
Northland is located in what is often referred to by New
Zealanders as the Far North, or, because of its
temperate climate, The Winterless North. It occupies the
upper 80% of the 285 kilometre-long North Auckland
Peninsula, the southernmost part of which is in the
Auckland Region.
Stretching from a narrowing of the peninsula close to
the town of Wellsford, Northland extends north to the
tip of the North Auckland Peninsula, covering an area of
13,940 km², a little over five per cent of the country's
total area. It is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea,
and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The land is
predominantly rolling hill country. Farming and forestry
occupy over half of the land, and are two of the
region's main industries.
Kauri tree Agathis australis.Although many of the
region's kauri forests were felled during the 19th
century, some areas still exist where this rare giant
grows tall. New Zealand's largest tree, Tane Mahuta,
stands in the Waipoua Forest south of the Hokianga
Harbour.
The western coast of the region is dominated by several
long straight beaches, the most famous of which is the
inaccurately named 80 kilometre-long stretch of Ninety
Mile Beach in the region's far north. Two large inlets
are also located on this coast, the massive Kaipara
Harbour in the south, which Northland shares with the
Auckland Region, and the convoluted inlets of the
Hokianga Harbour.
The east coast is more rugged, and is dotted with bays
and peninsulas. Several large natural harbours are found
on this coast, from Parengarenga close to the region's
northern tip, past the famous Bay of Islands down to
Whangarei Harbour, on the shores of which is situated
the region's largest population centre. Numerous islands
also dot this coast, notably the Cavalli Islands, the
Hen and Chickens Islands and the Poor Knights Islands.
The northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie
at the top of Northland. These include several points
often confused in the public mind as being the country's
northernmost points: Cape Maria van Diemen, Spirits Bay,
Cape Reinga, and North Cape. The northernmost point of
the North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs, close
to North Cape, although the northernmost point of the
country is further north in the Kermadec chain of
islands. Cape Reinga and Spirits Bay do, however, have a
symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In
folklore, it is from here that the souls of the dead
depart on their journey to the afterlife.
The region's geographical location results in warm humid
summers and mild winters. Typical summer maxima range
from 22 °C to 26 °C (72 °F to 79 °F). In winter, maxima
are between 14 °C and 17 °C (57 °F and 63 °F). Ground
frosts are virtually unknown. The hottest months are
January and February. Typical annual rainfall for the
region is 1500–2000 mm. Winds year-round are
predominantly from the southwest, although the region
can suffer the last storms of fading tropical cyclones
from the central Pacific Ocean. |
