Auckland

Auckland (pop. 889,200), chief port, largest city, naval base, and industrial center of New Zealand, capital of Auckland province on North Island. Founded in 1840, Auckland was New Zealand's capital until 1865, when the government was transferred to Wellington. Important industries include shipbuilding, oil refining, food processing, and automobile manufacturing. The city's War Memorial Museum contains one of the finest collections of Maori art in the world.