Waikato

For other uses, see Waikato (disambiguation).

Waikato
Waikato
Region
Northland RegionAuckland RegionWaikato RegionTaranakiBay of Plenty RegionGisborne DistrictHawke's BayManawatū-WhanganuiWellington RegionNelson, New ZealandTasman DistrictMarlborough DistrictCanterbury RegionOtagoSouthland RegionSouthland RegionWest Coast Region
Waikato within New Zealand
Coordinates: 37°48′S 175°24′E / 37.8°S 175.4°E / -37.8; 175.4
CountryNew Zealand
IslandNorth Island
SeatHamilton City
Government
[2]
 • TypeRegional council
 • BodyWaikato Regional Council
 • ChairPamela Storey[1]
 • Deputy chairBruce Clarkson
Area
[3]
 • Land23,901.09 km2 (9,228.26 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2024)[4]
 • Total536,200
GDP
[5]
 • TotalNZ$ 32.558 billion (2021) (4th)
 • Per capitaNZ$ 63,713 (2021)
HDI (2021)0.923[6]
very high · 8th
Websitewww.waikatoregion.govt.nz
Territorial authorities in Waikato region before 2010

The Waikato (/ˈwaɪkɑːtɔː/) is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupō District, and parts of the Rotorua Lakes District.[7] It is governed by the Waikato Regional Council.

The Waikato stretches from Coromandel Peninsula in the north, to the north-eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu in the south, and spans the North Island from the west coast, through the Waikato and Hauraki to Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast. Broadly, the extent of the region is the Waikato River catchment. Other major catchments are those of the Waihou, Piako, Awakino and Mokau rivers. The region is bounded by Auckland on the north, Bay of Plenty on the east, Hawke's Bay on the south-east, and Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki on the south. Waikato Region is the fourth largest region in the country in area and population:[8] It has a land area of 23,901.09 km2 (9,228.26 sq mi) and a population of 536,200 (June 2024).[4]

The region encompasses all or part of eleven territorial authorities, the most of any region of New Zealand. It is centred on the Waikato which consists of Waikato District, Matamata-Piako District, Waipa District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City.[7] In descending order of land area the eleven territorial authorities are Taupō District (part), Waikato District, Waitomo District (part), Thames-Coromandel District, Ōtorohanga District, South Waikato District, Matamata-Piako District, Waipa District, Hauraki District, Rotorua Lakes District (part), and Hamilton City.

  1. ^ "Waikato Regional Council chair and deputy selected". Waikato Regional Council. 27 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Your Councillors". Waikato Regional Council. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Regional gross domestic product: Year ended March 2022". Statistics New Zealand. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b Swarbrick, Nancy (3 June 2010). "Waikato region – Overview". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  8. ^ "About the Waikato region". Waikato Regional Council. Archived from the original on 20 April 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.