Far North District

Far North District
Territorial authority
Country New Zealand
Region Northland Region
District Far North District Council
Seat Kaikohe
Government
  Mayor John Carter
Area
  Total 7,323.86 km2 (2,827.76 sq mi)
Population (June 2014 estimate)[1]
  Total 61,000
  Density 8.3/km2 (22/sq mi)
Time zone NZST (UTC+12)
  Summer (DST) NZDT (UTC+13)
Postcode(s) Map of postcodes
Area code(s) 09
Website fndc.govt.nz

The Far North District of New Zealand, as its name suggests, is the northernmost district within New Zealand, consisting of the northern tip of the North Island. The current mayor is former local Member of Parliament John Carter.

Geography

The Far North, while generally a pleasant climate, can also be affected by the sometimes stormy maritime weather of the country, especially at places like Cape Reinga.

The Far North District is the largest of three territorial authorities making up the Northland Region. The district stretches from the capes and bays at the northern tip of the Aupouri Peninsula past Ninety Mile Beach to the main body of the North Auckland Peninsula, where it encompasses both the Bay of Islands and Hokianga.

It borders on the Kaipara and Whangarei Districts, which are the other two territorial authorities in the Northland Region.

Population

The northernmost town in the district is Kaitaia. There is a cluster of towns on the east coast around the Bay of Islands, (Kerikeri, Paihia, Russell, Opua, Kawakawa and Moerewa), the town of Kaikohe centrally situated to the west of them, and a cluster of small settlements on the west coast surrounding the Hokianga Harbour (Omapere, Opononi, Rawene, Panguru, Kohukohu, and Horeke).

The district has 61,000 people (June 2014 estimate),[1] of whom 40 percent are Māori. Over the last 10 years the district's population has defied national (and worldwide) trends by becoming increasingly rural. The largest town is Kerikeri with a population of 6507, followed by Kaitaia with 4887, and Kaikohe, the seat of the District Council, with 3915.

Local government

The Far North District Council was formed through the amalgamation of the former Counties of Mangonui, Hokianga, Whangaroa and Bay of Islands and the Boroughs of Kaitaia and Kaikohe. The district has three wards – Te Hiku (in the north), Kaikohe/Hokianga (in the west) and Bay of Islands/Whangaroa (in the east).

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Far North District.

Coordinates: 35°13′30″S 173°30′18″E / 35.225°S 173.505°E