Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and the main arrival point for visitors to the country. It is a vibrant multicultural city, set around two big natural harbours, and ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world. It is in the warm northern part of the North Island, on a narrow isthmus that joins the Northland peninsula to the rest of the island.
For information on the smaller towns, settlements and islands in the wider area around the city, see the Auckland Region article.
Prior to 2010, the Auckland urban area was divided between a regional council, four city councils and three district councils. In November 2010, all eight councils merged into a single "super city" council with 21 subordinate local boards. The districts here are based on Statistics New Zealand's four Auckland urban sub-areas, which in turn are based on the four old city councils.
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