Otaki, New Zealand

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Otaki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District of the North Island of New Zealand, situated half way between the capital city Wellington, 70 kilometres to the southwest, and Palmerston North, 70 kilometres to the northeast. It marks the northernmost point of the Wellington Region. The town's population is 5600 (2001 Census). It is located on State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk railway on their routes between Te Horo and Levin.

The town is sited close to the banks of the Otaki River, some three kilometres from its outflow into the Tasman Sea. It is divided into two main parts, Otaki Beach which is a mainly residential area and the larger and more inland Otaki township which contains a large number of shops and residential areas. The surrounding district is largely agricultural, and the economy of the town is largely based around service industries for the farming community.

Prior to European settlement, the area was inhabited by Māori of the Ngati Raukawa iwi. The nearby Raukawa marae is one of the points of interest of the area, along with one of the country's oldest churches, Rangiatea, which dates from 1846.

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Coordinates: 40°45′S 175°09′E

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