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North Island
*** Shopping-Tip: North Island
{{otheruses}}
Image:NZNorthIsland.png right|frame|North Island
The '''North Island''' is one of the two main islands of
New Zealand, the other being the
South Island.
Several important cities are in the North Island, notably New Zealand's largest city,
Auckland, New Zealand Auckland, and
Wellington, New Zealand Wellington, the capital, located at the southern extremity of the island. Around 76% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.
MÄ?ori MÄ?ori mythology says that the North and South Islands of New Zealand came from the time of
Maui (mythology) Maui, who was a demigod.
The story goes that he and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up.
This great fish became the North Island and thus the MÄ?ori name for the North Island is ''Te Ika a Maui'' (The Fish of Maui). The mountains and valleys are said to have been formed as a result of Maui's brothers' hacking at the fish.
The island is 113,729 square km in area{{ref|1}}, making it the
List of islands by size world's 14th-largest island.
Historical note
On some 19th Century maps, the North Island also went by the name ''New Munster''.
Grammatical note
New Zealanders refer to the main islands with a definite article, as "the North Island" and "the South Island", like "the
North Sea" and "the
Western World", but unlike "
Rangitoto Island" or "
West Point". Maps, headings or tables and adjectival expressions use "North Island", whereas "the North Island" is used after a preposition or before or after a verb, e.g. "my mother lives in the North Island", "the North Island is smaller than the South Island", or "I'm visiting the North Island".
Cities and towns in the North Island
(Smaller urban areas are found on the
List of towns in New Zealand.)
*
Auckland
*
Cambridge, New Zealand Cambridge
*
Coromandel (New Zealand) Coromandel
*
Foxton, New Zealand Foxton
*
Gisborne
*
Hamilton, New Zealand Hamilton
*
Hastings, New Zealand Hastings
*
Huntly, New Zealand Huntly
*
Kerikeri
*
Matamata
*
Napier, New Zealand Napier
*
New Plymouth
*
Pahiatua
*
Palmerston North
*
Raglan
*
Rotorua
*
Stratford, New Zealand Stratford
*
Taupo
*
Tauranga
*
Wellington, New Zealand Wellington
Geographic features
*
Cape Reinga
*
Cook Strait
*
Lake Taupo
*
Tongariro National Park
*
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu
*
Waikato River
*
Waipoua Kauri Forest
*
Waitomo Caves
References
{{note|1}}Statistics New Zealand [http://www.stats.govt.nz/quick-facts/land-envmt/geography-physical-features.htm Geography - physical features]
{{Regions of New Zealand}}
Category:Geography of New Zealand
Category:Islands of New Zealand
de:Nordinsel (Neuseeland)
el:Î’ÏŒÏ?ειο Î?ησί (Î?Îα Ζηλανδία)
es:Isla Norte
fr:ÃŽle du Nord
ko:�섬
it:North Island
nl:Noordereiland (Nieuw-Zeeland)
ja:北島 (ニュージーランド)
no:Nordøya
pl:Wyspa Północna (Nowa Zelandia)
pt:Ilha Norte
fi:Pohjoissaari
sv:Nordön
*** Shopping-Tip: North Island
