# Tauranga

> city in New Zealand's North Island

**Wikidata**: [Q207756](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207756)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tauranga

## Summary
Tauranga is a major coastal city located in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is one of the country's fastest-growing urban centers, with an estimated population of 151,300 as of mid-2020, and serves as a significant economic and port hub for the region.

## Key Facts
- **Location**: City in the Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand (coordinates: 37°41'09"S, 176°09'60"E).
- **Population**: 151,300 (estimated, 30 June 2020, preferred); 136,713 (2018 census); 135,000 (estimated, 30 June 2018); 130,800 (2015); 109,539 (2013).
- **Area**: 168 square kilometres.
- **Inception**: Established in 1882.
- **Earliest written record**: 1250.
- **Administration**: Governed by the Tauranga City Council; current mayor is Mahé Drysdale (since 2 August 2024).
- **Timezone**: UTC+12:00.
- **Postal codes**: 3110, 3112, 3116, 3118.
- **Local dialing code**: 07.
- **Official name**: Tauranga (since 21 June 2019).
- **Native/Māori name**: Tauranga-moana.
- **Website**: http://www.tauranga.govt.nz/
- **International identifiers**: UN/LOCODE NZTRG; Geonames ID 2208032; GND ID 4379727-1; VIAF ID 132514072.
- **Digital presence**: Wikipedia articles exist in over 60 languages; Commons category "Tauranga".
- **Twinned with**: San Bernardino, California, USA.
- **Elevation**: 0 metres above sea level.
- **Instance of**: City, big city.

## FAQs
**Where is Tauranga located?**
Tauranga is a city situated on the northeastern coast of New Zealand's North Island, within the Bay of Plenty region. Its geographic coordinates are approximately 37.686°S latitude and 176.167°E longitude.

**What is the population of Tauranga?**
Tauranga's population has grown rapidly, from 109,539 in the 2013 census to an estimated 151,300 by mid-2020. The 2018 census recorded 136,713 residents, while a separate mid-2018 estimate was 135,000.

**Who is the current mayor of Tauranga?**
Mahé Drysdale has been the mayor of Tauranga since 2 August 2024, following the local elections. He is the head of the Tauranga City Council.

**When was Tauranga founded and established?**
The city's modern inception as a municipal entity is recorded as 1882. However, the area has a much longer history, with the earliest written record dating back to approximately 1250.

**What is Tauranga's significance and what is it known for?**
Tauranga is a key economic and logistics centre for the Bay of Plenty, featuring one of New Zealand's busiest ports. It is also known for its coastal geography, rapid population growth, and its Māori cultural heritage, reflected in its dual name Tauranga-moana.

**Does Tauranga have any international relationships?**
Yes, Tauranga maintains a twinning relationship with San Bernardino, California, in the United States, formalized as a twinned administrative body.

## Why It Matters
Tauranga is a critical component of New Zealand's economic landscape, primarily due to the Port of Tauranga, which is the country's largest commercial port by cargo volume. This infrastructure underpins national and international trade, particularly for the agricultural and forestry exports of the North Island's central and eastern regions. The city's sustained high population growth—among the fastest in New Zealand—reflects its role as a magnet for domestic migration and a hub for employment and lifestyle. Culturally, the name Tauranga-moana anchors its identity within Māori history and the ancestral landscapes of the Bay of Plenty. Furthermore, its status as a "big city" and its extensive digital footprint (with Wikipedia coverage in over 60 languages) underscore its national and emerging global profile as a significant urban centre in Insular Oceania.

## Notable For
- **Rapid Population Growth**: Increased from 109,539 (2013) to 151,300 (2020), making it one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities.
- **Major Port City**: Home to the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand's largest and most efficient container port.
- **Māori Heritage**: The dual name Tauranga-moana signifies its deep historical and cultural importance to local iwi (tribes).
- **Archaeological Significance**: Associated with ringfort sites (referenced by FactGrid item ID "ringfort"), indicating early Māori settlement.
- **Administrative Longevity**: Its formal inception as a city council dates back to 1882.
- **Global Digital Footprint**: Has a dedicated Wikipedia article in more than 60 languages, reflecting international interest.
- **International Partnership**: Maintains a formal twinning relationship with San Bernardino, USA.

## Body

### History and Origins
Tauranga's modern municipal establishment is dated to 1882. The area's human history, however, extends far earlier, with the earliest written record placing it around 1250. This long timeline is supported by its association with ringfort archaeological sites (FactGrid item ID: ringfort), indicative of early Māori settlement patterns. The city's dual identity is captured in its official and native names: "Tauranga" is the official name (gazetted on 21 June 2019), while "Tauranga-moana" is a primary native label, referencing its coastal setting and ancestral significance.

### Governance and Administration
Tauranga is administered by the Tauranga City Council. The head of government is the mayor, a position held by Mahé Drysdale since 2 August 2024. The council's official website is http://www.tauranga.govt.nz/. For telecommunications, the local dialing code is 07. The city serves as the capital of its own administrative entity, Tauranga City, and is located within the Tauranga City territorial authority.

### Geography and Climate
The city occupies a total area of 168 square kilometres. It is a coastal city with an elevation of 0 metres above sea level. Its precise geographic centre is at latitude -37.685833333333 and longitude 176.16666666667. Tauranga operates within the UTC+12:00 timezone. It is situated in the Bay of Plenty region on the North Island, placing it within the continental region of Insular Oceania.

### Demographics
Tauranga has experienced significant demographic growth over the past decade. Official and estimated population figures from multiple sources show:
- 109,539 (2013 census)
- 130,800 (2015)
- 135,000 (estimated, 30 June 2018)
- 136,713 (2018 New Zealand census)
- 151,300 (estimated, 30 June 2020, preferred value)
This trend confirms its status as one of New Zealand's fastest-growing urban areas.

### Infrastructure and Services
The city is served by multiple postal codes: 3110, 3112, 3116, and 3118. Its primary online civic portal is http://www.tauranga.govt.nz/. For global logistics and identification, it holds the UN/LOCODE **NZTRG**. The city is also catalogued in the New Zealand Gazetteer with place ID 41932.

### International and Cultural Connections
Tauranga maintains an official twinning relationship with the city of San Bernardino, California, USA. Its cultural identity is strongly tied to its Māori name, Tauranga-moana. The city is the subject of dedicated categories for life events: Category:Births in Tauranga, Category:Deaths in Tauranga, and Category:People from Tauranga.

### Digital and Bibliographic Presence
Tauranga has a extensive digital footprint across knowledge and library platforms. It is identified by numerous persistent identifiers, including:
- **Wikidata**: Q11920 (with a sitelink count of 252 for the class "city" and 66 for the item itself).
- **Geonames**: 2208032.
- **Freebase**: /m/01n6lz.
- **MusicBrainz**: area ID c0498aca-e706-4849-ae3c-dcbd785ba33b.
- **WorldCat**: Entities ID E39PBJbCRqMGfX3TFH4YqtcMfq.
- **Library of Congress**: Authority ID n79120819.
- **OpenStreetMap**: Node ID 60130164.
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online**: ID place/Tauranga.
- **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana**: ID tauranga (and former scheme ID 0520477).
- **Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition)**: ID 553377 (with Chinese name 陶朗阿).
Its Wikipedia article exists in a vast array of languages (af, ar, arz, ast, be, bg, ca, ceb, cs, de, el, en, eo, es, et, eu, fa, fi, fr, ga, gd, gl, he, hi, hr, id, io, it, ja, ka, ko, lt, lv, mi, ml, mr, ms, nl, nn, no, pl, pnb, pt, ru, sh, si, simple, sr, sv, sw, szl, th, tpi, tr, tt, uk, ur, vi, vo, war, wuu, zh, zh_yue). It also has a dedicated Commons category and a page banner image depicting its harbour entrance.

## References

1. [Tauranga final election results: Mahé Drysdale wins race to be mayor by about 6100 votes. Bay of Plenty Times. 2024](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/tauranga-final-election-results-mahe-drysdale-wins-race-to-be-mayor-by-about-6100-votes/Y5FS4LUA2VCSBC7ARS6VM5VGJQ/)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. MusicBrainz
4. 2013 New Zealand census
5. Statistics New Zealand
6. [Source](http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE8318)
7. [Source](http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE7981)
8. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
9. [Source](https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2019-ln2814)
10. GeoNames
11. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/nz.htm)
12. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions