Quick answerAuckland is the largest city of New Zealand, with 1,547,200 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 1.8 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Sky Tower. Its official language is English and Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, and its currency is the New Zealand dollar.
Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, with about 1.55 million people in its urban area and about 1.79 million in the wider metropolitan area (June 2025). It stands on a narrow isthmus on the North Island, between two harbours, and is known as the City of Sails.
Key facts
| Country | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,547,200 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 1,794,400 (2025) · Auckland metropolitan area (Stats NZ, June 2025) |
| Time zone | Pacific/Auckland |
| Language | English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language |
| Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD, $) |
| Coordinates | 36.8492° S, 174.7653° E |
Overview
Auckland stands on a narrow isthmus on the North Island, between the Waitematā Harbour on the Pacific Ocean and the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea. With 1,547,200 people in its urban area in June 2025, it is New Zealand's largest city, and its metropolitan area of 1,794,400 people holds about a third of the whole country's population. The landscape is dotted with 53 volcanic cones, including One Tree Hill and Mount Eden.
Auckland was founded in 1840 and was New Zealand's capital until Wellington took over in 1865. Today its central business district is the country's leading economic hub, and about 43 per cent of its residents were born overseas. The city is home to the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. The Sky Tower, the country's tallest structure, the Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Harbour Bridge are its best-known landmarks.
What Auckland is known for
- Sky Tower
- City of Sails
- Auckland War Memorial Museum
- Hauraki Gulf
- Volcanic cones
Landmarks
- Sky Tower
- Auckland War Memorial Museum
- Auckland Harbour Bridge
- One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie)
- Auckland Art Gallery
- Viaduct Harbour
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Auckland?
About 1.55 million people live in Auckland's urban area (1,547,200 in June 2025, according to Statistics New Zealand). The wider metropolitan area had about 1.79 million people, and the Auckland Region, which includes outlying rural areas and Hauraki Gulf islands, had about 1.82 million. Auckland is by far New Zealand's largest city.
Where is Auckland and what is it known for?
Auckland is on the North Island of New Zealand, on a narrow isthmus between two harbours — the Waitematā on the Pacific side and the Manukau on the Tasman Sea side. It is known as the City of Sails for its sailing culture, and for the Sky Tower, the Auckland War Memorial Museum and its 53 volcanic cones.
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Keep exploring
- New Zealand — the country Auckland is in
- Christchurch — another city in New Zealand
- Wellington — another city in New Zealand
- Dunedin — another city in New Zealand
- Ernest Rutherford — New Zealander science figure
- All cities in New Zealand
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.