Gisborne, New Zealand

Gisborne is a city in the northeast of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the mouth of the River Turanganui in the Poverty Bay ( Pacific Ocean ), has about 32,700 inhabitants and is the administrative center of the unitary authority Gisborne, so also the Gisborne region and of the district of Gisborne.

Geography

Due to its location - Gisborne is the most easterly region of New Zealand - is the area often referred to Eastland or East Coast. The term East Cape ( German: Eastern Cape ) denotes next to the easternmost point of New Zealand and the Gisborne region itself

Away from the coast, the region is dominated by hills which are wooded for the most part. In the western parts of the region are both the Te Urewera National Park and the Kaingaroa Forest, one of the largest contiguous forest areas of the North Island.

In the center of the region are extensive ridges belonging to the running from northeast to southwest central mountain chains Huirau Range and Raukumara Range, whose highest point is located with the 1620 meter high Mount Hikurangi in the extreme northeast of the district.

Due to its proximity to the International Date Line the Hikurangi is referred to as the first mountain that sees the sun of a dawning day. In about the same is true of the city Gisborne. Although both Suva, the capital of Fiji, as well as Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, which are closer to this limit is in Gisborne because of the orbital inclination of the earth the sun are more likely to see.

South of Gisborne concurs with the Region Hawke 's Bay and the Wairoa district, while Gisborne is, more precisely in the west of the Bay of Plenty region limited the Opotiki District.

Climate

The climate of the Gisborne region is warm and relatively dry. In the mountainous areas in the Huirau rank it can sometimes be rough.

History

In the tradition of Māori demigod Maui is said to have fished the entire North Island of New Zealand from the Pacific Ocean. The capsized by the huge land mass of the island canoe now forms the Mount Hikurangi, the " kissed by the warm rays of the rising sun " as the first.

The Bay of Gisborne was the place where James Cook entered the New Zealand soil for the first time. On Cook's first expedition was the cabin boy Nicholas Young, who reported on the afternoon of October 7, 1769 around 14:00 clock " Land in sight ". The next day they anchored in the bay, the Cook " Poverty Bay " called and was mentioned in his ship's log on October 8, around 17:00 clock the first time by name. On October 9, James Cook went with parts of his team east of the Turanganui River on land, setting a historic milestone in the history of New Zealand.

Population

In the sparsely populated region, which recorded a population decline of more than one percent from 2001 to 2004, there is next to the city of Gisborne and the place Ruatoria with about 1500 inhabitants, no settlements with over 1,000 inhabitants.

Approximately 45 % of the population have māoristämmige ancestors. This proportion is much higher than the New Zealand -wide average, which is about 15%. In the remote areas in some cases more than half of the population of Māori originate from.

Gisborne

The city of Gisborne is located on the north bank of the self- Poverty Bay, at about the place where James Cook set foot for the first time in New Zealand. In the southwest of the bay, can be seen clearly from Gisborne from, there are the cliffs known as "Young Nick 's Head ". Three independent flows through the city, what this has helped the nickname "City of Rivers". To the east of the urban area, the Kaiti Hill is ( in Maori: Titirangi ), a hill which is both a recreation area and viewpoint overlooking the entire surrounding area including the city of Gisborne (see satellite picture).

Economy

An important pillar of the economy of the region is the wine, which is why Gisborne is also known as Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand. Particularly in the coastal areas mainly viticulture and fruit growing is operated.

See also: Viticulture in New Zealand

Infrastructure

Be served from which the most important cities in New Zealand: On the eastern outskirts of the regional airport of Gisborne (GIS IATA code ) is. In addition to a paved runway he has two additional grass runways.

The State Highway 2 (Wellington - Auckland ) leads past the city, the SH 35 from there through the city center and further along the coast to the north.

The leading up to Palmerston North via Napier railway line is used since the end of 2001, only the freight. On the route between Gisborne and Muriwai temporarily run museum trains for tourists.

The Port of Gisborne is relatively small, it is only wood loaded. Cruise ships have to anchor in the bay and bring their passengers ashore by tender.

Personalities

  • Te Kooti (1820-1891), leader of the Māori
  • Richard White (1925-2012), rugby union player
  • Witi Ihimaera ( b. 1944 ), writer
  • Kiri Te Kanawa ( born 1944 ), opera singer
  • Ian Kirkpatrick ( b. 1946 ), rugby union player
  • Vaughan F. R. Jones ( born 1952 ), mathematician
  • Kelly Evernden (born 1962 ), tennis player
  • Rico Gear (born 1978 ), rugby union player
  • Rory Fallon ( b. 1982 ), football player
  • Hosea Gear ( born 1984 ), rugby union player
  • Aron Baynes ( born 1986 ), basketball player
266634
de