Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

AUCKLAND

Centred on a narrow isthmus between the Hauraki Gutf of the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, Auckland is dominated by water and mountains. To the north, Waitemata Harbour is guarded by Rangitoto Island, the youngest of flfty or so volcanoes and vents that created the land here.

With sheltered harbours, easy access to the sea, and a strategic location it is an obvious place for settlement and Maori had lived here for nearly 500 years - chiefly on the volcanic heights - before it was established as the capital of New Zealand in 1840, a title it kept for only 25 years.

The western beaches are great for surfers and there are good beaches for swimmers at Devonport, Long Bay and Mission Bay, and the harbours are filled with yachts - this is one of the most popular places in the world for sailors. For landlubbers, the nightlife is centred around Queen Street, Ponsonby Road and Karangahape Road.

Several of the extinct volcanoes and islands, such as Mount Eden, Waiheke Island and North Head, are natural parks and have rerurants of prehistoric settlements and later fortiflcations. Other popular areas for exploring include the Hunua Ranges and the Waiketere Ranges Regional Park.

Indoors, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World is popular, and the Auckland Art Gallery has an important collection of works by New Zealand artists. Auckland is reckoned to be in the top ten cities in the world to live in: with its stunning location, it's not hard to see why.

POPULATION: AUCKLAND

1,330,000 (2007) WHEN TO GO: Any time of year.

DON'T MISS: AUCKLAND

Waiketere Ranges Regional Park. The walk up to the crater of Mount Eden.
The view from the top of the Sky Tower.

YOU SHOULD KNOW: AUCKLAND

Auckland sits in the middle of a dormant volcanic plain. Auckland's nickname is the City of Sails.