Tauranga


Tauranga is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty Region and the fifth-most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century and colonised by Europeans in the early 19th century. It was constituted as a city in 1963.
The city lies in the northwestern corner of the Bay of Plenty, on the southeastern edge of Tauranga Harbour. The city extends over an area of, and encompasses the communities of Bethlehem, on the southwestern outskirts of the city; Greerton, on the southern outskirts of the city; Matua, west of the central city overlooking Tauranga Harbour; Maungatapu; Mount Maunganui, located north of the central city across the harbour facing the Bay of Plenty; Otūmoetai; Papamoa, Tauranga's largest suburb, located in the Bay of Plenty; Tauranga City; Tauranga South; and Welcome Bay.
Tauranga is one of New Zealand's main centres for business, international trade, culture, fashion and horticultural science. The Port of Tauranga is New Zealand's largest port in terms of gross export tonnage and efficiency. Tauranga is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities, with an 11% increase in population between the 2006 census and the 2013 census, and 19% between the 2013 and 2018 census. Due to its rapid population growth, Tauranga has become New Zealand's fifth-largest city, overtaking Dunedin and the Napier-Hastings urban areas.

History

Settlement

The earliest known settlers were Māori, who arrived in the 13th century at Tauranga in the Tākitimu and the Mātaatua waka.
At 9 am on Friday, 23 June 1826, was the first European ship to enter Tauranga Harbour. The Revd Henry Williams conducted a Christian service at Otamataha Pā.
In December 1826 and again in March 1827, the Herald travelled to Tauranga from the Bay of Islands to obtain supplies of potatoes, pigs and flax. In 1835 a Church Missionary Society mission station was established at Tauranga by William Wade. Rev. Alfred N. Brown arrived at the CMS mission station in 1838. John Morgan also visited the mission in 1838.
Europeans trading in flax were active in the Bay of Plenty during the 1830s; some were transient, others married local women and settled permanently. The first permanent non-Maori trader was James Farrow, who travelled to Tauranga in 1829, obtaining flax fibre for Australian merchants in exchange for muskets and gunpowder. Farrow acquired a land area of on 10 January 1838 at Otūmoetai Pā from the chiefs Tupaea, Tangimoana and Te Omanu, the earliest authenticated land purchase in the Bay of Plenty.
In 1840, a Catholic mission station was established. Bishop Pompallier was given land within the palisades of Otūmoetai Pā for a church and a presbytery. The mission station closed in 1863 due to land wars in the Waikato district.

New Zealand Wars–Tauranga Campaign

The Tauranga Campaign took place in and around Tauranga from 21 January to 21 June 1864, during the New Zealand Wars. The Battle of Gate Pā is the best known.
The Battle of Gate Pā was an attack on the well fortified Pā and its Māori defenders on 29 April 1864 by British forces made up of approximately 300 men of the 43rd Regiment and a naval contingent. The British casualties were 31 dead, and 80 wounded – the highest loss of life suffered by the British military in the New Zealand Wars. The Māori defenders abandoned the Pā during the night with casualties estimated at 25 dead and an unknown number of wounded.

Fires

In November 1916, a large fire broke out on The Strand, destroying the Commercial Hotel and 11 other buildings.
In 1936 another large fire occurred which started in the hotel's staff quarters and drew large crowds.

Modern era

Under the Local Government Order 2003, Tauranga became legally a city for a second time, from 1 March 2004.
In August 2011, Tauranga received Ultra-Fast Broadband as part of the New Zealand Government's rollout.

Geography

Tauranga is located around a large harbour that extends along the western Bay of Plenty, and is protected by Matakana Island and the extinct volcano of Mauao. Ngāumuwahine River is located 19 kilometres southwest of Tauranga.
Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty are situated along a faultline and so experience seismic activity. There are a few volcanoes around the area, including both dormant volcanoes such as Mauao, nicknamed "The Mount" by locals, and active volcanoes such as White Island.
Tauranga is roughly the antipode of Jaén, Spain.

Administrative divisions

Suburbs

Tauranga City consists of the following suburbs, sorted by 2018 general electoral ward:
;Notes:

Climate

Tauranga has an oceanic or maritime temperate climate in the Köppen Climate Classification. Though in the Trewartha Climate Classification it is subtropical
During the summer months the population swells as holidaymakers descend on the city, especially along the popular white coastal surf beaches from Mount Maunganui to Papamoa.

Demographics

In 1976 Tauranga was a medium-sized urban area with a population of around 48,000. The completion of a harbour bridge in 1988 brought Tauranga and The Mount closer and re-energised the economies of both parts of the enlarged city.
By 1996 Tauranga's population had grown to 82,092 and by 2006 had reached 103,635. By 2023, it had reached 152,844.
In 2008 Tauranga overtook Dunedin to become the sixth-largest city in New Zealand by urban area, and the ninth largest city by Territorial Authority area. With continuing growth it has now surpassed the Napier-Hastings area to become New Zealand's fifth-largest city.
Tauranga covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.
Tauranga had a population of 152,844 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 15,714 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 37,683 people since the 2013 census. There were 73,821 males, 78,558 females and 462 people of other genders in 55,929 dwellings. 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.4 years. There were 29,604 people aged under 15 years, 26,316 aged 15 to 29, 66,786 aged 30 to 64, and 30,138 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.7% European ; 19.3% Māori; 3.6% Pasifika; 10.3% Asian; 1.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.2%, Māori language by 4.5%, Samoan by 0.4% and other languages by 12.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.1%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 25.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 31.3% Christian, 1.5% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 1.9% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 3.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.7%, and 6.9% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 22,431 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 64,740 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 29,052 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 14,001 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 61,218 people were employed full-time, 17,007 were part-time, and 3,252 were unemployed.
NameArea
PopulationDensity
DwellingsMedian ageMedian
income
Mauao/Mount Maunganui General Ward18.3416,0058736,17438.9 years$47,900
Matua-Otūmoetai General Ward7.8718,9422,4077,04441.0 years$44,400
Te Papa General Ward10.8818,5221,7026,96037.4 years$38,100
Bethlehem General Ward21.2718,8198857,06844.0 years$39,600
Tauriko General Ward24.6818,8497646,54337.9 years$44,100
Welcome Bay General Ward18.2520,5261,1257,14938.4 years$42,800
Arataki General Ward19.4418,8169687,21543.5 years$38,500
Pāpāmoa General Ward21.1922,3651,0557,77936.2 years$43,800
New Zealand38.1 years$41,500

Government and politics

For elections to the New Zealand Parliament, the city of Tauranga is in the Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, and Waiariki electorates.
Tauranga is located in the administrative area of the Tauranga City Council. The council consists of the Mayor of Tauranga and nine councillors. The mayor is elected by the city at-large, while the councillors are elected from nine wards, each ward electing a single councillor. Elections are held via single transferable vote.
The present nine wards were first established for the 2024 local elections. There are eight general wards and one Māori ward.
Council elections are usually held every three years, most recently in 2024. The next local election for Tauranga is scheduled for 2028.
In December 2020, the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta announced that, due to alleged "dysfunction" within the elected council, the council would be replaced by commissioners until the 2022 local elections. However, then Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said the appointment of commissioners was unnecessary and a "dramatic and draconian step." An independent review by law firm Russell McVeagh found that Mahuta's decision may have been unlawful. Her decision to reappoint the crown commission for a second term in 2022 through to July 2024 was subject to a legal review by Dentons Kensington Swan who found her decision was challengeable on the grounds of unlawfulness and unreasonableness.