Auckland
[key], city (2021 pop. 1,630,092), N North Island, New Zealand. It is situated on an isthmus
and is the largest urban region and chief port of the country. The chief exports are frozen
meats, dairy products, wool, hides, and iron and steel. Petroleum, iron and steel products,
wheat, sugar, and fertilizers are the leading imports. Auckland is also New Zealand's leading
industrial center. The chief industries are engineering (including shipbuilding and
boilermaking), motor vehicle and chemical manufacturing, and food processing. It is also a
fishing port and the chief base of the New Zealand navy. Maoris and persons of Maori ancestry
comprise roughly 16.7 percent of the populace as of 2020, giving the city the largest
Polynesian population in the world. Auckland was founded in 1840 and was the capital of New
Zealand from 1841 to 1865. Educational institutions include the Univ. of Auckland and the
Auckland Institute of Technology. The Auckland War Memorial
Museum
has a collection of Maori art. Other sights include a maritime museum and the 1,076-ft (328-m)
Sky Tower. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, based in Auckland, won the America's Cup in
1995 and successfully defended in 2000, but lost in 2003. In the area of the city are many
extinct volcano cones, including Mt. Eden (within the city) and Rangitoto (offshore).
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