North Island

The North Island is the smaller of the two main islands of New Zealand. It is separated from the South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island. It has a population of 3,287,600 (June 2009). Its Māori name is "Te Ika a Māui".
Twelve cities are in the North Island. The biggest is Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, which is in the northwestern part of the island. Wellington, the capital, is at the southern end of the island. About 76% of New Zealand's population live in the North Island.