Auckland

Auckland is the largest and most populated city; it has almost 1.4 million people. The city also has the largest Polynesian population in the world.  It is also commonly referred to as 'The City of Sails' due to all the yachts in Auckland’s two harbours. In the past, it was also the capital of New Zealand but in 1865 it was officially changed to Wellington. Like the capital city, Auckland is also located on the North Island.

The city is generally warm and sunny with mild winters. Average high temperatures are around the mid 20°C and around 15°C during the colder months. Annually the city has a high rainfall but the city has only one recorded experience with snowfall in 1939.

Due to its' two harbours the city's culture is centred a lot on that lifestyle and there are many yacht clubs and museums dedicated yachting and harbour culture. Popular annual events include the 'Harbour Crossing' swim, which has thousands of competitors every year swimming the distance of almost 3 kilometres, and the 'Round the Bays' fun run which was first established in 1972, is 8.4 kilometres long and has tens of thousands of competitors.

Popular landmarks include Auckland's iconic Harbour bridge which connects the city to the North Shore, The Sky Tower stands at over 320 metres and is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere and undoubtedly has the best views in the city and Eden Park the main stadium in New Zealand which will also be the location for the 2011 Rugby World Cup final.

Aotea Square is a popular sport for cultural events such as craft markets and art festivals. Auckland is also home to the National Maritime Museum, the Auckland Art Gallery and the Auckland zoo.