King Country

King Country
Unofficial region of New Zealand
The King Country within New Zealand [1]
The King Country within New Zealand [1]
CountryNew Zealand
IslandNorth Island
Population
 • Region
50,000 to 70,000 depending on definition of area

The King Country (Māori: Te Rohe Pōtae or Rohe Pōtae o Maniapoto) is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from Kawhia Harbour and the town of Ōtorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman Sea in the west. It comprises hill country, large parts of which are forested.

The region, albeit loosely defined, is very significant in New Zealand's history. The term "King Country" dates from the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, when colonial forces invaded the Waikato and forces of the Māori King Movement withdrew south of what was called the aukati, or boundary, a line of pā alongside the Puniu River near Kihikihi.[2] Land behind the aukati remained native territory, with Europeans warned they crossed it under threat of death.[3][4]

Known for its rugged, rural roads and diverse landscape, the King Country has a warm climate, considered subtropical.

  1. ^ Pollock, Kerryn (March 1, 2015). "King Country region map". Te Ara. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  2. ^ Belgrave, Michael (2005). Historical Frictions. Auckland: Auckland University Press. pp. 250–251. ISBN 1-86940-320-7.
  3. ^ Dalton, B.J. (1967). War and Politics in New Zealand 1855-1870. Sydney: Sydney University Press. p. 260.
  4. ^ Belich, James (1986). The New Zealand Wars. Auckland: Penguin. p. 175. ISBN 0-14-027504-5.