Canterbury Waitaha (Māori) | |
|---|---|
 Canterbury Region in New Zealand | |
| Coordinates:43°36′S172°00′E / 43.6°S 172.0°E /-43.6; 172.0 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| Established | 1989 |
| Seat | Christchurch |
| Territorial authorities | |
| Government | |
| • Body | Canterbury Regional Council |
| • Chair | Deon Swiggs |
| • Deputy Chair | Iaean Cranwell |
| Area | |
| • Land | 44,503.60 km2 (17,182.94 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Region | 698,200 |
| • Density | 15.69/km2 (40.63/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Cantabrian |
| GDP | |
| • Total | NZ$44.032 billion (2021) (2nd) |
| • Per capita | NZ$67,400 (2021) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| ISO 3166 code | NZ-CAN |
| HDI (2023) | 0.941[4] very high ·3rd |
Canterbury (Māori:Waitaha) is aregion of New Zealand, located in the central-easternSouth Island. The region covers an area of 44,503.88 square kilometres (17,183.04 sq mi), making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of 698,200 (June 2025).[2]
The region in its current form was established in 1989 during nationwide local government reforms. TheKaikōura District joined the region in 1992 following the abolition of the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council.
Christchurch, the South Island's largest city and the country's second-largest urban area, is the seat of the region and home to 58 percent of the region's population. Other major towns and cities includeTimaru,Ashburton,Rangiora andRolleston.
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The land, water, flora, and fauna of Canterbury has a long history, stretching from creation of the greywacke basement rocks that make up theSouthern Alps to the arrival of the first humans. This history is linked to the solidification and development of tectonic plates, the development of oceans and then life itself.
The region is a part of the largerZealandia continent, itself a part of the larger Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. In the first instance, the land is based upon the constructive tectonic forces of this convergent and transformational tectonic plate boundary. In the second instance, the erosive forces of rain, snow, ice, and rock grinding against rock have developed large gravel fans that extend out from the mountains. In the third instance, there is volcanism punching through the basement rocks and blanket of sediments to the surface. Upon this solid foundation, and slowly over the billions of years, life made up of a countless generations of interconnected adaptations developed into the unique flora and fauna of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The remnants populations of these unique species are visible today in the publicly protected conservation lands.
The species of Waitaha/Canterbury were adapted to the climate and geography that traverses inland from the coastline to the highest peaks, and from the warmer climes in the north to the colder in the south.
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Canterbury has been populated by a succession ofMāori peoples over the centuries. When European settlers arrived, it was occupied byNgāi Tahu, whose numbers had been greatly reduced by warfare, among themselves and withTe Rauparaha and hisNgāti Toa from the North Island, in the early 19th century.
In 1848,Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a Briton, andJohn Robert Godley, anAnglo-Irish aristocrat, founded theCanterbury Association to establish anAnglican colony in theSouth Island. The colony was based upon theories developed by Wakefield while in prison for eloping with a woman not-of-age. Due to ties to theUniversity of Oxford, the Canterbury Association succeeded in raising sufficient funds and recruiting middle-class and upper-class settlers.[5] In April 1850, a preliminary group led by Godley landed at Port Cooper – modern-dayLyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō[6] – and established a port, housing and shops in preparation for the main body of settlers. In December 1850, the first wave of 750 settlers arrived at Lyttelton in afleet of four ships.[5]
Following 1850, the province's economy developed with the introduction of sheep farming. The Canterbury Region's tussock plains in particular were suitable for extensive sheep farming. Since they were highly valued by settlers for their meat and wool, there were over half a million sheep in the region by the early 1850s. By the 1860s, this figure had risen to three million.[5] During this period, the architectBenjamin Mountfort designed many civic and ecclesiastical buildings in theGothic Revival style.
TheCanterbury Province was formed in 1853 following the passing of theNew Zealand Constitution Act 1852. It was formed from part ofNew Munster Province and covered the middle part of the South Island, stretching from the east coast to the west coast. The province was abolished, along with other provinces of New Zealand, when the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 November 1876.[7] The modern Canterbury Region has slightly different boundaries[citation needed], particularly in the north, where it includes some districts from theNelson Province.
Amagnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in the region on Saturday 4 September 2010, at 04:35 am.[8] The epicentre was located 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Christchurch; 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south-east ofDarfield,[9] and had a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). The earthquake caused widespread damage to buildings and power outages, but no direct fatalities. Sewers were damaged, gas and water lines were broken, and power to up to 75% of the city was disrupted. Christchurch residents reported chimneys falling in through roofs, cracked ceilings and collapsed brick walls.[10]
A localstate of emergency was declared at 10:16 am on 4 September for the city, and evacuations of parts were planned to begin later in the day.[11] People inside the Christchurch city centre were evacuated, and the city's central business district remained closed until 5 September.[12] A curfew from 7 pm on 4 September to 7 am on 5 September was put in place.[13] TheNew Zealand Army was deployed to assist police and enforce the curfew.
There were 63 reported aftershocks in the first 48 hours, with three registering 5.2 magnitude. The total insurance costs of the event were estimated as up to $11 billion, according to the New Zealand Treasury.[14][15]
A large aftershock of magnitude 6.3 occurred on22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm. It was centred just to the north of Lyttelton, 10 kilometres south-east of Christchurch, at a depth of 5 km.[16]Although lower on themoment magnitude scale than the quake of September 2010, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be VIII on theMMI, which is among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area due to the shallowness and proximity of the epicentre.[17]
The quake struck on a busy weekday afternoon. This, along with the strength of the quakes, and the proximity to the city centre, resulted in 181 deaths.[18] Many buildings and landmarks were severely damaged, including the iconicShag Rock andChristchurch Cathedral. New Zealand's first National State of Emergency was promptly declared.
On 13 June 2011 at about 1:00 pm New Zealand time, Christchurch was rocked by a magnitude 5.7 quake, followed by a magnitude 6.3 quake at 2:20 pm, centred in a similar location to that of the February quake with a depth of 6.0 kilometres. Dozens of aftershocks occurred over the following days, including several over magnitude 4.
Phone lines and power were lost in some suburbs, and liquefaction surfaced mainly in the eastern areas of the city which were worst affected following the aftershocks.[19] Many residents in and around the hillside suburb of Sumner self-evacuated.[20] Further damage was reported to buildings inside the cordoned central business district, with an estimate of 75 additional buildings needing demolition.[21] Among the buildings further damaged was the Christchurch Cathedral, which lost its iconicrose window.[22][23] There was one death and multiple injuries.
The area administered by the Canterbury Regional Council consists of all the river catchments on the east coast of the South Island from that of theWaiau Toa / Clarence River, north ofKaikōura, to that of theWaitaki River, in South Canterbury. It is New Zealand's largest region by area, with an area of 45,346 km2.
Canterbury was formerly bounded in the north by theConway River, to the west by theSouthern Alps, and to the south by theWaitaki River. The area is commonly divided into North Canterbury (north of theRakaia River to the Conway River),Mid Canterbury (from the Rakaia River to theRangitata River),South Canterbury (south of the Rangitata River to the Waitaki River) andChristchurch City.
| Climate data for Canterbury | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 40.2 (104.4) | 42.4 (108.3) | 36.0 (96.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 29.7 (85.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.3 (79.3) | 30.0 (86.0) | 32.0 (89.6) | 36.2 (97.2) | 36.1 (97.0) | 42.4 (108.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.4 (70.5) | 19.5 (67.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.1 (55.6) | 10.3 (50.5) | 9.5 (49.1) | 11.0 (51.8) | 13.8 (56.8) | 15.9 (60.6) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.9 (67.8) | 15.9 (60.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.0 (60.8) | 15.8 (60.4) | 14.0 (57.2) | 11.1 (52.0) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.5 (41.9) | 4.8 (40.6) | 6.2 (43.2) | 8.5 (47.3) | 10.5 (50.9) | 12.4 (54.3) | 14.5 (58.1) | 10.6 (51.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.3 (50.5) | 10.2 (50.4) | 8.6 (47.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 3.2 (37.8) | 0.8 (33.4) | 0.2 (32.4) | 1.4 (34.5) | 3.3 (37.9) | 5.2 (41.4) | 7.0 (44.6) | 9.1 (48.4) | 5.4 (41.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.3 (27.9) | −0.8 (30.6) | −4.4 (24.1) | −5.3 (22.5) | −7.2 (19.0) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −11.4 (11.5) | −8.0 (17.6) | −7.6 (18.3) | −5.9 (21.4) | −4.2 (24.4) | −21.0 (−5.8) |
| Source: Weatherbase[24] | |||||||||||||
Canterbury Region covers 44,503.60 km2 (17,182.94 sq mi).[1]Statistics New Zealand estimates the population of Canterbury is 698,200 as of June 2025, which gives a population density of 15.7 people per km2. The region is home to 13.1% of New Zealand's population.[2]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 438,171 | — |
| 1996 | 468,039 | +1.33% |
| 2001 | 481,431 | +0.57% |
| 2006 | 521,832 | +1.62% |
| 2013 | 539,433 | +0.48% |
| 2018 | 599,694 | +2.14% |
| 2023 | 651,027 | +1.66% |
| Source:[25][26] | ||
Canterbury Region had a population of 651,027 in the2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 51,333 people (8.6%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 111,594 people (20.7%) since the2013 census. There were 322,038 males, 326,082 females and 2,907 people ofother genders in 251,661 dwellings.[27] 3.7% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 113,751 people (17.5%) aged under 15 years, 125,919 (19.3%) aged 15 to 29, 297,834 (45.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 113,520 (17.4%) aged 65 or older.[26]
Of those at least 15 years old, 101,367 (18.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 279,984 (52.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 124,818 (23.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 57,885 people (10.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 274,113 (51.0%) people were employed full-time, 79,245 (14.7%) were part-time, and 12,546 (2.3%) were unemployed.[26]
| Rank | Territorial authority | Pop. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christchurch | Christchurch City | 407,800 | ||||||
| 2 | Rolleston | Selwyn District | 34,100 | ||||||
| 3 | Timaru | Timaru District | 29,300 | ||||||
| 4 | Ashburton | Ashburton District | 21,600 | ||||||
| 5 | Rangiora | Waimakariri District | 19,300 | ||||||
| 6 | Kaiapoi | Waimakariri District | 13,700 | ||||||
| 7 | Lincoln | Selwyn District | 12,100 | ||||||
| 8 | Prebbleton | Selwyn District | 5,750 | ||||||
| 9 | Woodend | Waimakariri District | 5,470 | ||||||
| 10 | Temuka | Timaru District | 4,760 | ||||||
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 80.3%European (Pākehā); 10.6%Māori; 3.7%Pasifika; 13.3%Asian; 1.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.1%, Samoan by 1.0% and other languages by 13.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 24.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 32.2%Christian, 1.7%Hindu, 1.0%Islam, 0.3%Māori religious beliefs, 0.8%Buddhist, 0.5%New Age, 0.1%Jewish, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they hadno religion were 55.1%, and 6.8% of people did not answer the census question.[26]
| Nationality | Population (2018) |
|---|---|
 England | 28,719 |
 Philippines | 13,650 |
 Mainland China | 11,553 |
 Australia | 10,428 |
 India | 8,823 |
 South Africa | 6,195 |
 Scotland | 3,798 |
 Fiji | 3,672 |
 United States | 3,483 |
 Samoa | 3,339 |
In the 2013 census, just under 20 percent of Canterbury's population was born overseas, compared to 25 percent for New Zealand as a whole. The British Isles remains the largest region of origin, accounting for 36.5 percent of the overseas-born population in Canterbury. Around a quarter of Canterbury's overseas-born population at the 2013 Census had been living in New Zealand for less than five years, and 11 percent had been living in New Zealand for less than two years (i.e. they moved to New Zealand after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake).[29][30]
Anglicanism is the largest Christian denomination in Canterbury with 14.8 percent affiliating, whileCatholicism is the second-largest with 12.7 percent affiliating.[30]
| Ethnicity | 2006 census | 2013 census | 2018 census | 2023 census | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| European | 393,219 | 77.4 | 448,650 | 86.9 | 494,340 | 82.4 | 522,498 | 80.3 |
| Māori | 36,669 | 7.2 | 41,910 | 8.1 | 56,298 | 9.4 | 69,060 | 10.6 |
| Pacific peoples | 10,926 | 2.2 | 12,720 | 2.5 | 18,927 | 3.2 | 23,868 | 3.7 |
| Asian | 29,172 | 5.7 | 35,847 | 6.9 | 66,672 | 11.1 | 86,430 | 13.3 |
| Middle Eastern/Latin American/African | 3,363 | 0.7 | 4,374 | 0.8 | 7,314 | 1.2 | 10,299 | 1.6 |
| Other | 70,254 | 13.8 | 10,236 | 2.0 | 8,307 | 1.4 | 8,205 | 1.3 |
| Total people stated | 508,185 | 516,360 | 599,694 | 651,027 | ||||
| Not elsewhere included | 13,650 | 2.6 | 23,076 | 4.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Thegross domestic product (GDP) of the Canterbury Region was estimated at NZ$44.2 billion in the year to March 2022, representing 12.4% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per filled job was $126,733, 4.6% below the national average of $132,815.[32]
For the year ended March 2022, the manufacturing industry was the largest contributor to the Canterbury regional economy, at $4.1 billion.[33] Primary manufacturing (the process of creating a product from raw materials) represented $2.48 billion of the total.[34] Manufacturing industries in the region employed 10.6% of the filled jobs in the region.[32] The construction sector represented the next highest category of regional GDP, at $3.67 billion, followed by professional, scientific and technical services at $3.64 billion.[34]
Agriculture contributed $3.26 billion to the regional economy in the year ended March 2022.[34] The agriculture sector is diversified into dairy farming, sheep farming andhorticulture particularlyviticulture.[35] The strength of the region's agricultural economy is displayed every November at theCanterbury A&P Show. The show coincides with the regional anniversary day and Cup Week. During the interwar period, agricultural productivity was boosted by the introduction of mechanization, lime and the improvement of seed stocks. Canterbury is also New Zealand's main producer of cereal crops such as wheat, barley and oats.[36] As of 2002, the region produced 60.7% of the nation's supply of wheat, 51.1% of its barley stocks and 43.7% of its supply of oats.[35]
Canterbury has 25,065 hectares of horticultural land, the largest area in New Zealand. The largest crops arepotatoes (4,330 ha),peas andbeans (2,700 ha), wine grapes (1,770 ha),berries (1,100 ha), andonions (1,000 ha). The region produces half of the New Zealand'smushrooms, nuts and berries.[37][38]
The region's viticulture industry was established by French settlers inAkaroa. Since then, wine-growing is concentrated into two regions:Waipara andBurnham.[35] Recently, there have been vintages from plantings fromKurow further to the south.White wine has typically predominated in Canterbury fromRiesling,Sauvignon blanc,Chardonnay,Gewürztraminer, and to a lesser extentPinot blanc andPinot gris.Pinot noir has had some success in the province, particularly in Waipara.
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Like much of theCanterbury-Otago tussock grasslands theCanterbury Plains have been highly modified since human settlement and now support a large agricultural industry. Prior to the arrival ofMāori settlers in the 13th century, much of the modern Canterbury Region was covered in scrub and beech forests. Forest fires destroyed much of the originalforest cover which was succeeded by tussock grassland. By the 19th century, only ten percent of this forest cover remained, and the European settlers introduced several new exoticgrass,lupin,pine andmacrocarpa that gradually supplanted the native vegetation. Much of the native vegetation was isolated to thealpine zones and Banks Peninsula. From a minimum of about one percent of its original forest cover in circa 1900, the amount of forest on Banks Peninsula has increased.
The amount of dairy farming is increasing with a corresponding increase in demand for water. Water use is now becoming a contentious issue in Canterbury. Lowland rivers and streams are generally polluted and some of the aquifers are being overdrawn. TheCentral Plains Water scheme is a proposal for water storage that has attracted much controversy. TheCanterbury Water Management Strategy is one of the many means being used to address the water issue.
TheCanterbury mudfish (kowaro) is an endangered species that is monitored by the Department of Conservation.[39]
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The Canterbury Region is administered by theCanterbury Regional Council. The area includes tenterritorial authorities, includingChristchurch City Council and part of theWaitaki District, the other part of which is in Otago. Following thelocal government reform of 1989,Kaikōura District was part of theNelson-Marlborough Region. That region was later abolished and replaced with threeunitary authorities. Kaikōura was too small to function as an independent unitary authority and was moved under the jurisdiction of the Canterbury Regional Council in 1992. However, Kaikōura remains part of Marlborough in the minds of many people. In 2006, the Banks Peninsula District was merged into Christchurch City following a 2005 referendum.
The Canterbury Region is covered by ten general electorates and one Māori electorate. The city of Christchurch as a whole consists of five of these electorates, while the electorate ofWaimakariri contains a mix of Christchurch and exurban Canterbury. TheBanks Peninsula,Ilam, andWaimakariri electorates are currently held by members of the governingNational Party (as part of the coalition-ledSixth National Government of New Zealand)Vanessa Weenink,Hamish Campbell, andMatt Doocey. Meanwhile, theChristchurch Central,Christchurch East, andWigram electorates are currently held by opposition (Labour Party) membersDuncan Webb,Reuben Davidson, andMegan Woods respectively.
In contrast to Christchurch, much of the surrounding Canterbury Region is dominated by the National Party due to its ties to rural farming and business interests. The largeKaikōura electorate covers all of theMarlborough Region and northern Canterbury and is represented by National MPStuart Smith. The substantialWaitaki electorate, held by National MPMiles Anderson, covers most ofSouth Canterbury and neighbouringNorth Otago.Rangitata andSelwyn are held by National membersJames Meager andNicola Grigg respectively.
Under theMāori electorates system, Canterbury is part of the largeTe Tai Tonga electorate which covers the entire South Island, the surrounding islands and most ofWellington in the North Island. It is currently held byTākuta Ferris ofTe Pāti Māori.
Judicially, the region is served by fourDistrict Courts at Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru and Kaikōura, and twoHigh Courts at Christchurch and Timaru.[40] The Christchurch High Court also hosts a divisional court of theCourt of Appeal.
State Highway 1 runs the length of Canterbury, connecting north toBlenheim and the Cook Strait ferry terminal atPicton and south toOamaru,Dunedin andInvercargill.
Christchurch International Airport, located inHarewood on the northwest outskirts of Christchurch, is the region's main airport. Regular flights operate from Christchurch to most major centres in New Zealand, as well as Australia, the Pacific Islands and eastern Asia. Timaru'sRichard Pearse Airport serves South Canterbury with daily flights toWellington.
Canterbury is served by 292 primary and secondary schools, educating roughly 94,000 students from ages 5 to 18. Around 13 percent of students attendstate-integrated schools and 5 percent attend private schools, with the remaining 82 percent attending state schools.[41] Christchurch and Timaru have single-sex state secondary schools.
Canterbury has two universities: theUniversity of Canterbury located in western Christchurch, andLincoln University located in Lincoln.
Sport in Canterbury has developed from the time of the initial settlement by British migrants, and remains an important part of community life.Cricket andrugby union have been popular team sports since the early years of settlement, with the first cricket club established in Christchurch in 1851, and the first rugby club in 1863. Interest in organised sports has diversified and now includes a wide range of codes.[42] In 2022, the top five sporting codes in Canterbury based on club membership werenetball,touch rugby, rugby union,golf and cricket.[43]
There are around 1,200 sports clubs and associations in Christchurch,[44] and in 2022 there were 140,000 affiliated members.[43] Most of the sporting codes remain amateur, and rely upon volunteers as administrators and officials.[45] However, there are some professional teams. Notable teams representing Christchurch or the Canterbury Region include theMainland Tactix (netball),Crusaders (rugby) and theCanterbury Kings (cricket).
The Crusaders, who play in theSuper Rugby competition, are based in Christchurch. They represent Canterbury and other provinces of the upper South Island. They were formerly known as theCanterbury Crusaders. In provincial rugby, Canterbury is represented by three unions;Canterbury,Mid Canterbury andSouth Canterbury. For historical reasons, players from Kaikōura District still play for the Marlborough Rugby Union, which is part of the Tasman Provincial team (Nelson/Marlborough Unions combined). Other sporting teams include theMainland Tactix (netball),Canterbury United FC (football) andCanterbury Rams (basketball).
Christchurch has hosted many international competitions including championship events. A particularly notable international event was the1974 Commonwealth Games.
There are many outdoor sportsgrounds and a variety of indoor venues.Christchurch City Council maintains 110 sportsgrounds across Christchurch City andBanks Peninsula.[46] The sports venuesLancaster Park andQueen Elizabeth II Park were damaged beyond repair in the2011 Christchurch earthquake, and were demolished.[47] New facilities built to replace those damaged in the earthquake include theNgā Puna Wai Sports Hub,[48] theParakiore Recreation and Sport Centre — an aquatic and indoor sports venue scheduled to open in 2025,[49] and amulti–purpose covered stadiumTe Kaha seating 30,000 spectators that is expected to be complete by April 2026.[50]
Canterbury has been afilming location for a range of international and national TV shows and films. Most notable are the locations used in the filming ofThe Lord of the Rings with the fictional city of Edoras,Rohan, being set onMount Sunday, as well as Helm's deep backdrop, several miles down the valley.[51] ForReturn of the King thebattle of the Pelennor Fields private farmland near Twizel was used.[52] Canterbury also appeared inThe Hobbit trilogy withLake Pukaki being the setting for Laketown.
Other productions have beenThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe withFlock Hill being used for the battle of Beruna.Slow West,Bookworm andMulan used locations in the Mackenzie basin, with Mulan also usingOmarama's Clay Cliffs in a scene. Plates from theTranz Alpine were used for theMurder on the Orient Express (2017 film) to double as theSwiss Alps on a sound stage in the UK.[53] And Christchurch itself has featured in productions likeHeavenly Creatures,The Frighteners,Z for Zachariah (film) andDark City: The Cleaner.
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