page_title: Waikato
section_title: Cities and towns
hierarchical_section_title: Waikato / Demographics / Cities and towns
caption_attribution_description: Map showing population density of a region of New Zealand (by Statistics NZ Area Unit) as of the 2006 census
context_page_description: Waikato is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupō District, and parts of Rotorua District. It is governed by the Waikato Regional Council.
  The region stretches from Coromandel Peninsula in the north, to the north-eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu in the south, and spans the North Island from the west coast, through the Waikato and Hauraki to Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast. Broadly, the extent of the region is the Waikato River catchment. Other major catchments are those of the Waihou, Piako, Awakino and Mokau rivers. The region is bounded by Auckland on the north, Bay of Plenty on the east, Hawke's Bay on the south-east, and Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki on the south. Waikato Region is the fourth largest region in the country in area and population: It has an area of 25,000 km² and a population of 482,100.
  The region encompasses all or part of eleven territorial authorities, the most of any region of New Zealand.
context_section_description: The largest city in the Waikato Region is Hamilton, with an urban population of 169,300 (June 2019). It is home to the University of Waikato and the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).
  Other major towns in the region are Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Taupō with respective populations of 13,650, 12,400, 19,150 and 23,900. (These populations include the urban and peri-urban areas).  The region also includes the smaller towns of Huntly, Matamata, Morrinsville, Ngāruawāhia, Otorohanga, Paeroa, Putaruru, Raglan, Te Aroha, Te Kauwhata, Te Kuiti, Thames, Tīrau, Tuakau, Turangi, Whangamatā and Whitianga.
caption: Map of population density in the Waikato region (2006 census)
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