Whangārei is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the largest settlement of the Northland Region. It is part of the Whangarei District, created in 1989 from the former Whangārei City, Whangārei County and Hikurangi Town councils to administer both the city and its hinterland. The city population was estimated to be 56,800 in June 2024, an increase from 47,000 in 2001.