Subdivisions of New Zealand: regions, districts in English and Māori
New Zealand is divided into 16 regions and the Chatham Islands, with 67 cities and districts below them. This page gives every region in English and Māori with its ISO 3166-2 code and council seat, and the cities and districts of each region, beside the earlier list of 73 entries and the changes since, above all the Auckland merger of 2010.
- Regions and Chatham Islands
- 17
- Groups
- 1
Updated
Takiwā, ISO names and town names
Two naming systems meet in every row. The regional names that ISO publishes in Māori are short forms, Waitaha for Canterbury or Toi Moana for Bay of Plenty. The older list builds each one with takiwā, the Māori word for a district, and uses longer traditional names: Takiwā o Te Moana a Toi Te Huatahi for Bay of Plenty, Takiwā o Murihiku for Southland, Takiwā o Te Taihau ā uru for the West Coast. For Greater Wellington and Southland, ISO took the names of the regional councils, Te Pane Matua Taiao and Te Taiao Tonga, not the place names Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara and Murihiku.
Town names follow the same pattern. Christchurch is Ōtautahi, Dunedin Ōtepoti, Hamilton Kirikiriroa, Napier Ahuriri and Greymouth Māwhera; Nelson keeps Whakatū both as a town and as a region. Tasman had no Māori name in the earlier list, and ISO added Te tai o Aorere only in 2022. Marlborough still has none in ISO, although the list called it Takiwā o Tauihu.
The 16 regions and the Chatham Islands with ISO 3166-2 codes
Each region appears under the English and Māori name ISO 3166-2:NZ uses today and under the Māori form of the older list, where the word takiwā, district, precedes the name. The seat column gives the town where the regional council sits, with its Māori name.
- en English names as ISO 3166-2 writes them
- mi Māori (te reo Māori)
Regions 17
| Region (ISO, English) | Māori name in ISO 3166-2 | Māori name in the list | Council seat | ISO 3166-2 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland
|
Tāmaki-Makaurau
|
Takiwā o Tāmaki-makau-rauAuckland Region
|
Tāmaki-makau-rauAuckland
|
NZ-AUK
|
Category changed 2014, Māori spelling 2022 and 2023 |
Bay of Plenty
|
Toi Moana
|
Takiwā o Te Moana a Toi Te HuatahiBay of Plenty Region
|
Whakatānelist: Tauranga (Tauranga moana)
|
NZ-BOP
|
Māori name changed 2022 |
Canterbury
|
Waitaha
|
Takiwā o WaitahaCanterbury Region
|
ŌtautahiChristchurch
|
NZ-CAN
|
no change |
Chatham Islands Territory
|
Wharekauri
|
WharekauriChatham Islands
|
Waitangi
|
NZ-CIT
|
Added to ISO 3166-2 on 30 June 2010 |
Gisborne
|
Te Tairāwhiti
|
Tūranganui a KiwaGisborne District
|
Tūranganui a KiwaGisborne
|
NZ-GIS
|
Name changed 2015, Māori name 2022 |
Greater Wellington
|
Te Pane Matua Taiao
|
Takiwā o Te Whanga-nui-a-TaraWellington Region
|
Te Whanga-nui-a-TaraWellington
|
NZ-WGN
|
English and Māori names changed in 2022 (formerly Wellington) |
Hawke's Bay
|
Te Matau-a-Māui
|
Takiwā o Te Matau a MāuiHawke’s Bay Region
|
AhuririNapier
|
NZ-HKB
|
Māori name changed 2022 |
Manawatū-Whanganui
|
Manawatū Whanganui
|
Takiwā o Manawatū WhanganuiManawatu-Wanganui Region
|
Te Papa-i-oeaPalmerston North
|
NZ-MWT
|
Names changed in 2022 (formerly Manawatu-Wanganui) |
Marlborough
|
none in ISO |
Takiwā o TauihuMarlborough District
|
WaiharakekeBlenheim
|
NZ-MBH
|
Name changed 2015 |
Nelson
|
Whakatū
|
WhakatūNelson City
|
WhakatūNelson
|
NZ-NSN
|
Name changed 2015 |
Northland
|
Te Tai tokerau
|
Takiwā o Te Tai tokerauNorthland Region
|
Whangārei terenga paraoaWhangārei
|
NZ-NTL
|
Māori name changed 2022 |
Otago
|
Ō Tākou
|
Takiwā o ŌtākouOtago Region
|
ŌtepotiDunedin
|
NZ-OTA
|
no change |
Southland
|
Te Taiao Tonga
|
Takiwā o MurihikuSouthland Region
|
Wai hōpaiInvercargill
|
NZ-STL
|
Māori name changed 2022 |
Taranaki
|
Taranaki
|
Takiwā o TaranakiTaranaki Region
|
Stratfordlist: New Plymouth (Ngāmotu)
|
NZ-TKI
|
no change |
Tasman
|
Te tai o Aorere
|
Tasman District (no Māori name given)
|
Richmond
|
NZ-TAS
|
Name changed 2015, Māori name added 2022 |
Waikato
|
Waikato
|
Takiwā o WaikatoWaikato Region
|
KirikiriroaHamilton
|
NZ-WKO
|
English name added 2022 |
West Coast
|
Te Tai o Poutini
|
Takiwā o Te Taihau ā uruWest Coast Region
|
MāwheraGreymouth
|
NZ-WTC
|
Māori name changed 2022 |
Codes, names and change dates: ISO 3166-2:NZ on the ISO Online Browsing Platform, change history as tabulated in Wikipedia's ISO 3166-2:NZ, checked 28 October 2026. Council seats: Wikipedia, Regions of New Zealand, same date. The list named Tauranga and New Plymouth as centres of Bay of Plenty and Taranaki; the regional councils sit in Whakatāne and Stratford.
Cities and districts of every region, then and now
New Zealand has 67 territorial authorities today, cities and districts plus Auckland Council and the Chatham Islands Council. Each region below lists those lying wholly or partly inside it, beside the entry of the earlier list of 73 cities and districts and what has changed. Units of the earlier list that no longer exist close each group.
Tāmaki-Makaurau Auckland 8
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Auckland Council
|
Auckland
|
not in the list |
formed on 1 November 2010 from four cities, three districts and the Auckland Regional Council |
Auckland City
|
Auckland (city)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
|
Manukau City
|
Manukau (city)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
|
North Shore City
|
North Shore (city)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
|
Waitakere City
|
Waitakere (city)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
|
Franklin District
|
Franklin (district, in part)
|
abolished on 31 October 2010; this part went to Auckland Council |
|
Papakura District
|
Papakura (district)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
|
Rodney District
|
Rodney (district)
|
Merged into Auckland Council on 1 November 2010 |
Toi Moana Bay of Plenty 7
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Taupō District
|
Taupō
|
Taupo (district, in part)
|
spelled Taupō today; 14.31 % of its area lies here |
Western Bay of Plenty District
|
Greerton
|
Western Bay of Plenty (district)
|
unchanged |
Tauranga City
|
Tauranga
|
Tauranga (city)
|
unchanged |
Rotorua District
|
Rotorua
|
Rotorua (district)
|
61.52 % of its area lies here |
Whakatāne District
|
Whakatāne
|
Whakatane (district)
|
spelled Whakatāne today |
Kawerau District
|
Kawerau
|
Kawerau (district)
|
unchanged |
Ōpōtiki District
|
Ōpōtiki
|
Opotiki (district)
|
spelled Ōpōtiki today |
Waitaha Canterbury 10
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Kaikōura District
|
Kaikōura
|
Kaikoura (district)
|
spelled Kaikōura today |
Hurunui District
|
Amberley
|
Hurunui (district)
|
unchanged |
Waimakariri District
|
Rangiora
|
Waimakariri (district)
|
unchanged |
Christchurch City
|
Christchurch
|
Christchurch (city)
|
unchanged |
Selwyn District
|
Rolleston
|
Selwyn (district)
|
unchanged |
Ashburton District
|
Ashburton
|
Ashburton (district)
|
unchanged |
Timaru District
|
Timaru
|
Timaru (district)
|
unchanged |
Mackenzie District
|
Fairlie
|
Mackenzie (district)
|
unchanged |
Waimate District
|
Waimate
|
Waimate (district)
|
unchanged |
Waitaki District
|
Oamaru
|
Waitaki (district)
|
59.61 % of its area lies here |
Wharekauri Chatham Islands Territory 1
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Chatham Islands Council
|
Waitangi
|
Chatham Islands (special territorial authority)
|
unchanged |
Te Tairāwhiti Gisborne 1
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Gisborne District
|
Gisborne
|
Gisborne District (unitary, listed as a region)
|
unchanged |
Te Pane Matua Taiao Greater Wellington 9
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Tararua District
|
Dannevirke
|
not in the list |
1.58 % of its area lies here |
Kāpiti Coast District
|
Paraparaumu
|
Kapiti Coast (district)
|
spelled Kāpiti Coast today |
Porirua City
|
Porirua
|
Porirua (city)
|
unchanged |
Upper Hutt City
|
Upper Hutt
|
Upper Hutt (city)
|
unchanged |
Lower Hutt City
|
Lower Hutt
|
Hutt (city)
|
the city council is Hutt City Council |
Wellington City
|
Wellington
|
Wellington (city)
|
unchanged |
Masterton District
|
Masterton
|
Masterton (district)
|
unchanged |
Carterton District
|
Carterton
|
Carterton (district)
|
unchanged |
South Wairarapa District
|
Martinborough
|
South Wairarapa (district)
|
unchanged |
Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke's Bay 6
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Taupō District
|
Taupō
|
Taupo (district, in part)
|
spelled Taupō today; 11.26 % of its area lies here |
Wairoa District
|
Wairoa
|
Wairoa (district)
|
unchanged |
Hastings District
|
Hastings
|
Hastings (district)
|
unchanged |
Napier City
|
Napier
|
Napier (city)
|
unchanged |
Central Hawke's Bay District
|
Waipawa
|
Central Hawke’s Bay (district)
|
unchanged |
Rangitikei District
|
Marton
|
not in the list |
13.63 % of its area lies here |
Manawatū Whanganui Manawatū-Whanganui 10
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Waitomo District
|
Te Kūiti
|
not in the list |
5.13 % of its area lies here |
Taupō District
|
Taupō
|
not in the list |
0.69 % of its area lies here |
Stratford District
|
Stratford
|
Stratford (district, in part)
|
31.87 % of its area lies here |
Ruapehu District
|
Taumarunui
|
Ruapehu (district)
|
unchanged |
Whanganui District
|
Whanganui
|
Wanganui (district)
|
renamed from Wanganui by the New Zealand Geographic Board in 2015 |
Rangitikei District
|
Marton
|
Rangitikei (district)
|
86.37 % of its area lies here |
Manawatū District
|
Feilding
|
Manawatu (district)
|
spelled Manawatū today |
Palmerston North City
|
Palmerston North
|
Palmerston North (city)
|
unchanged |
Tararua District
|
Dannevirke
|
Tararua (district)
|
98.42 % of its area lies here |
Horowhenua District
|
Levin
|
Horowhenua (district)
|
unchanged |
Marlborough 1
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Marlborough District
|
Blenheim
|
Marlborough District (unitary, listed as a region)
|
unchanged |
Whakatū Nelson 1
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Nelson City
|
Nelson
|
Nelson City (unitary, listed as a region)
|
unchanged |
Te Tai tokerau Northland 3
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Far North District
|
Kaikohe
|
Far North (district)
|
unchanged |
Whangārei District
|
Whangārei
|
Whangarei (district)
|
spelled Whangārei today |
Kaipara District
|
Dargaville
|
Kaipara (district)
|
unchanged |
Ō Tākou Otago 5
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Waitaki District
|
Oamaru
|
Waitaki (district)
|
40.39 % of its area lies here |
Central Otago District
|
Alexandra
|
Central Otago (district)
|
unchanged |
Queenstown-Lakes District
|
Queenstown
|
Queenstown Lakes (district)
|
spelled Queenstown-Lakes today |
Dunedin City
|
Dunedin
|
Dunedin (city)
|
unchanged |
Clutha District
|
Balclutha
|
not in the list |
unchanged |
Te Taiao Tonga Southland 3
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Southland District
|
Invercargill
|
Southland (district)
|
unchanged |
Gore District
|
Gore
|
Gore (district)
|
unchanged |
Invercargill City
|
Invercargill
|
Invercargill (city)
|
unchanged |
Taranaki Taranaki 3
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
New Plymouth District
|
New Plymouth
|
New Plymouth (district)
|
unchanged |
Stratford District
|
Stratford
|
Stratford (district, in part)
|
68.13 % of its area lies here |
South Taranaki District
|
Hāwera
|
South Taranaki (district)
|
unchanged |
Te tai o Aorere Tasman 1
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Tasman District
|
Richmond
|
Tasman District (unitary, listed as a region)
|
unchanged |
Waikato Waikato 12
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Thames-Coromandel District
|
Thames
|
Thames-Coromandel (district)
|
unchanged |
Hauraki District
|
Paeroa
|
Hauraki (district)
|
unchanged |
Waikato District
|
Ngāruawāhia
|
Waikato (district)
|
unchanged |
Matamata-Piako District
|
Te Aroha
|
Matamata-Piako (district)
|
unchanged |
Hamilton City
|
Hamilton
|
Hamilton (city)
|
unchanged |
Waipā District
|
Te Awamutu
|
Waipa (district)
|
spelled Waipā today |
Ōtorohanga District
|
Ōtorohanga
|
Otorohanga (district)
|
spelled Ōtorohanga today |
South Waikato District
|
Tokoroa
|
South Waikato (district)
|
unchanged |
Waitomo District
|
Te Kūiti
|
Waitomo (district)
|
94.87 % of its area lies here |
Taupō District
|
Taupō
|
Taupo (district, in part)
|
spelled Taupō today; 73.74 % of its area lies here |
Rotorua District
|
Rotorua
|
Rotorua (district)
|
38.48 % of its area lies here |
Franklin District
|
Franklin (district, in part)
|
abolished on 31 October 2010; this part went to the Waikato and Hauraki districts |
Te Tai o Poutini West Coast 3
| Territorial authority | Seat | In the earlier list | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Buller District
|
Westport
|
Buller (district)
|
unchanged |
Grey District
|
Greymouth
|
Grey (district)
|
unchanged |
Westland District
|
Hokitika
|
Westland (district)
|
unchanged |
Territorial authorities, seats and the share of area in each region: Wikipedia, Territorial authorities of New Zealand, after Stats NZ boundary data, checked 28 October 2026. Franklin District: Wikipedia, Franklin District; Whanganui: Wikipedia, Whanganui District.
From 73 to 67 territorial authorities
The biggest change since the list is Auckland. On 1 November 2010 the cities of Auckland, Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere, the districts of Papakura and Rodney and the northern part of Franklin were merged into one Auckland Council, which is also the regional authority. The rest of Franklin went to the Waikato and Hauraki districts; Franklin therefore appears in two groups of the list. The total of territorial authorities fell from 73 to 67.
ISO followed in steps. Newsletter II-2 of 30 June 2010 added the Chatham Islands Territory, coded NZ-CIT; in 2015 ISO deleted the separate codes for the unitary authorities and for the North and South Islands, and in 2022 it revised most Māori names. Spellings with macrons, Whakatāne, Taupō, Ōpōtiki, came into use for the councils too, and Wanganui District became Whanganui in 2015.
Some districts cross regional lines. Taupō lies in four regions, Rotorua, Stratford, Waitaki, Waitomo, Rangitikei and Tararua in two each; the list marked only some of them as in part.
Questions about the regions of New Zealand
How many regions does New Zealand have?
16, coded NZ-AUK to NZ-WTC in ISO 3166-2. The Chatham Islands Territory, NZ-CIT, is a special island authority outside the regions.
What is Auckland called in Māori?
Tāmaki-Makaurau in ISO 3166-2; the earlier list writes Tāmaki-makau-rau and calls the region Takiwā o Tāmaki-makau-rau.
When did the Auckland cities merge?
On 1 November 2010, when Auckland Council replaced four city councils, three district councils and the regional council.