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New Plymouth


Urban Area Population 49,500
Extent Oakura to Bell Block
Territorial
Authority
Name New Plymouth District
Population 77,100
Extent Okato to Mokau;
south to Tariki
Regional
Council

Name Taranaki



New Plymouth is the port and main city in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand .

The area where New Plymouth was founded had been the historic home for several Maori Iwi (tribes) for centuries. Early European whalers operated in the area for some time before the ship ''William Bryant'' arrived in 1840 to disembark the first of the European settlers, with the town of New Plymouth being established in 1841 . Settlers came from not only from Britain (as the majority of New Zealand's settlers did) but also from Poland , Switzerland , The Netherlands , China and India . These newcomers found it easy to purchase land at first, but settlement proved increasingly difficult as the years passed, with more and more Maori-owned fertile farming land was wanted. Many Maori were not interested in selling and this led to conflict, and ten years of war in the area - see First Taranaki War and Second Taranaki War .

Today, the city is a service centre for the region's principle economic activities including intensive pastoral activities (mainly , and picturesque views of the mountain Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont {Link without Title} ).

Being a coastal city with a mountain within one hour's drive away, the more adventurous residents of New Plymouth can snowboard, ski, water ski and surf all in the same day.


FURTHER READING


  • J. S. Tullett (1981). ''The Industrious Heart: A History of New Plymouth''. New Plymouth District Council



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