Christchurch is a city on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand.

A city is known as fallowing a cathedral college of Christ Church in the University of Oxford. Its Maori name is Otautahi, from a Maori chief Tautahi, who got the cash settlement on the banks of the Avon River. Christchurch is placed at . [http://www.christchurch.org.nz/about/#StatisticsDemographics]

Geography

Christchurch is the independent city inside Canterbury, New Zealand. It lies at a southern prevent of Pegasus Bay, in the middle of the east coast of the South Island, between Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury Plains. A city is bounded to the east per Pacific Ocean coast and a estuary of the Avon and Heathcote rivers, in the south & south-east per volcanic slopes of the Port Hills, and northwards per Waimakariri River. A populated area extends a trifle farther.

A prominent total of public parks & several easily-developed residential gardens by owning several trees throughout a city develop given it a title of The Garden City. Hagley Park and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens are located in the centre of the city, by owning Hagley Park existence the places for sports like golf, netball, and rugby, & for open air concerts by local elastic and a [http://www.chsymph.co.nz/2005/ Christchurch Symphony Orchestra].

By having tremendously of the city existence flat & simply two or three metres above sea level, outstanding views may be found from either just about any high building. At these moo elevations the city appears extrthe like a outdoors by using simply two or three buildings seeable, rather than a major city.

A centre of the city is Cathedral Square, directly in front of the Anglican cathedral, Christ Church.

List of Christchurch suburbs
Inner suburbs
(clockwise from either central city, starting due northerly)

Mairehau; Shirley; Richmond; Avonside; Linwood; Woolston; Opawa; Waltham; Sydenham; Spreydon; Addington; Riccarton; Ilam; Burnside; Fendalton; Bryndwr; Merivale; Papanui; St Albans.

Outer suburbs
(clockwise from either city center, starting due northward)

Burwood; Parklands; Waimairi Beach; Avondale; New Brighton; Bexley; Aranui; South Brighton; Southshore; Bromley; Redcliffs; Sumner; Ferrymead; Heathcote Valley; Huntsbury; Cashmere; Westmoreland; Hoon Hay; Halswell; Oaklands; Wigram; Sockburn; Hornby; Islington; Yaldhurst; Russley; Avonhead; Harewood; Bishopdale; Casebrook; Redwood; Belfast.

Satellite towns
(clockwise from either city center, starting due n)

Brooklands; Lyttelton; Tai Tapu; Lincoln; Prebbleton; Templeton; Rolleston; West Melton; Rangiora; Kaiapoi.

Climate

Christchurch has the temperate climate, with temperatures within January ranging from either an norm minimal of 15°C to an norm maximal of 30°C, & from -5°C to 10°C within July. Summer temperatures come typically moderated by the sea breeze from the northeast. The notable feature of the weather condition is the ''Nor'wester'', a hot föhn wind which occasionally reaches gale force and causes widespread damage to property. Inside wintertime, these are park for the temperature to fall following 0°C when asleep. Snow lessens occur now and again, on the average it used to be that or even twice a year.

In cold wintertime nights, a circumferent hills, clear skies, & frosty calm conditions often combine to form the stable inversion layer above the city that traps vehicle exhausts & smoke from either farm fires to reason smog. When non when badness when smogginess around Los Angeles, California, Christchurch smog has typically been known to exceed World Health Organisation recommendations for air pollution. A city has nonindulgent requirements for domesticated front yard heating sequentially to restrict air pollution.

Demographics

In 6 March 2004, a locality administered per Christchurch City Council experienced the people of 344,100, getting it the title 2nd-big around Future Zeal&, and the largest city in the South Island. A Christchurch Urban Metropolitan area is the third-largest in the united states, fallowing Auckl& and Wellington.

Ethnic Profile 89.8% Up to date Zealand European (Pakeha) 5.1% Maori 4.0% Asian 1.1% tons others

Economy

A local economy was based on a agrarian green goods of the Canterbury plains. Early manufacturers filtered agrarian green groceries, especially sheep & dairy farm products, into finished products. A early presence of the University of Canterbury and the heritage of the city's academic institutions working around association by having local businesses has fostered the total of technology-depending industries. the vicinity at present has a range of "new economy" sectors.

Tourism is also a important factor of the local economy. A closeness of the ski-fields and more attractions of the Southern Alps and hotels and an drome that meets international standards produce Christchurch the stopover destination for numbers of tourer.

Government
Christchurch's local government is a democracy that includes: The city council [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/] comprising a mayor, and Dozen council member elected inside sise wards. Six community boards, apiece covering a single ward, by owning troika members both + them ward council member. A Canterbury Regional Council, called [http://www.ecan.org.nz/ Environment Canterbury] including quaternion Christchurch constituencies by using deuce members from either every constituency. A Canterbury District Health Board, [http://www.cdhb.govt.nz/] by using 5 members for Christchurch. Zone councils around encompassing areas: Banks Peninsula, Selwyn, and Waimakariri. Inside 1993, Christchurch was selected as a "Best Run City in the World", as well referred to as the Carl Bertelsmann Prize, per Bertelsmann Foundation of Germany, a branch of Bertelsmann media company. It shared a honor using Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

History

Archaeologic grounds to believe uncovered inside the cave at Redcliffs indicates that the Christchurch front yard was 1st settled by moa-hunting tribes. Maori oral history tells that humans began sleep in the area around Thou AD. These 1st habitant were thought to develop been followed per Waitaha who are thought to use migrated from either a east coast of the Northward Island in the 16th century. Even so, Waitaha ( manufactured of of tercet peoples ), experienced been in the l& for centuries advance and Ngai Tahu own done their better to hide this. Ensuing Waitaha were a Ngati Mamoe and Ngai Tahu who remained in control until a British did to the two what it did to people prior to the children.

Although there were European settlers from either a 1830s, notably a Deans at Riccarton, what come repute the Number 1 4 Ships were chartered per Canterbury Association, and arrived in 16 December 1850, bringing the number 1 English settlers to Lyttelton Harbour. A tetrad ships were Randolph, Charlotte Jane, Sir George Seymour, and Cressy.

Captain Thomas, a Canterbury Association's Chief Surveyor, surveyed a encompassing region. By December 1849 he had accredited the construction of a road from either Port Cooper, late known as Lyttelton, to Christchurch via Sumner. Yet this proved other hard than required & road construction was stopped piece a steep foot & box horse track was constructed above a hill between a port & the Heathcote vale, in which access to the places of the projected cash settlement can be gained. This track became called a Bridle Path, because the path was thus steep that box horses required to become led per bridle.

Goods that were as well heavily or even bulky to exist as transported by few dozen horse above a Bridle Path were shipped by microscopic sailing ship a select few eight miles by fluids around a coast & higher a estuary to Ferrymead. Up to date Zealand's number one public railway line was opened from either Ferrymead to Christchurch inside 1863. Due to a difficulties around travelling all over the Port Hills and the dangers associated using transport navigating the Sumner bar, a railway burrow was bored through the Port Hills to Lyttelton, opening within 1867.

Christchurch became the city by Royal Charter on 31 July 1856, making it the oldest city inside Future Zealand. Several of the city's fine Gothic buildings by the designer Benjamin Mountfort date from this period of time.

Christchurch was a seat of provincial administration for the province of Canterbury.

The touring burrow was constructed between Lyttelton & Christchurch in the early Sixties.

Inside 1974 Christchurch was host to the Commonwealth Games.

Gateway to the Antarctic

Christchurch has played the important role in the history of Antarctic exploration. Two Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton used the port of Lyttelton as a departure point for expeditions, & there is a statue of Scott (sculpted by his widow woman) in the city centre.

Christchurch International Airport serves when a major base for the Italian & United States Antarctic Programs as well as a Up to date Zealand Antarctic programme. the International Antarctic Centre will bring two base facilities & a museum & visitant centre.

Tourist Attractions

Garden Parks like [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Parks/GardenCity/parks_monavale.asp Mona Vale], [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Parks/BotanicGardens/ The Botanical Gardens], [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Parks/HagleyPark/ Hagley Park], & [http://www.riccartonhouse.co.nz/ Riccarton House and Bush]. [http://www.canterburymuseum.com Canterbury Museum]. Ferrymead Heritage Park. [http://www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz Orana Wildlife Park]. [http://www.willowbank.co.nz/ Willowbank Wildlife Reserve]. [http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz Air Force Museum]. [http://www.southernencounter.co.nz/ Southern Encounter Aquarium and Kiwi House]. [http://www.iceberg.co.nz/ International Antarctic Centre]. Christ's College, one of New Zealand's leading private schools. Christ Church (the Anglican cathedral), the centre of the Church of England settlement which grew into the city. A Roman Catholic Basilica, which opened in 1905, is one of a virtually all beautiful churches in the Southern Hemisphere [http://www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz Christchurch Art Gallery] (open 2003). [http://www.tram.co.nz/tramtour.html Historic electric tram]. A Christchurch Arts Centre and site of "Ernest Rutherford's Den". [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Christchurch/CanterburyProvincialCouncilChambers/ The Provincial Chambers]. A Timeball Station in Lyttelton. A New Brighton Pier. [http://www.gondola.co.nz/ Heathcote (Christchurch) Gondola]. A Summit Road along a top of a Port Hills & Godley Head Road will bring many outstanding views of a vicinity & features the buildings created when roadside rests, the Sign of the Takahe (now the work centre) & Sign of the Kiwi. Paseo including [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Parks/NaturalAreas/port_hills_recreation_victoriapark.asp Victoria Park], a Bridle Path & Whitewash Head, a aviary. Mountain Biking on the Port Hills & Bottle Flow of any stream Outdoors. [http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Parks/Recreation/mountainbiking.asp Christchurch Mountainbiking]

Entertainment
Theatre
Christchurch has 1 good-whale agent theatre, a [http://www.courttheatre.org.nz Court Theatre] (external hyperlink). There exists as well an active unpaid theatre scene.

Cinema
Christchurch has thomas more or less 35 cinema screens, by having more aforethought in the next couple of years. When historically virtually all cinemas were grouped about Cathedral Square, just a Regent complex remains there. A big multiplexes come a Hoyts Eighter from decatur in the old railway station (Moorhouse Ave) & Reading Cinemas (8) in the Palms searching centre in the suburban area of Shirley. Hoyts around Riccarton, upright recently opened, has a big screen around Future Zealand, known as Cinemaxx.

Large Concert Venues
The Westpac Centre is Up to date Zealand's big lasting multipurpose arena, seating between 5000 - 8000 based in configuration. It was a venue for the 1999 World Netball championships and has been unsuspecting hosts to numerous concerts inside recent years including Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart, Velvet Revolver and many further major international acts. The Town Hall Auditorium (2000 seats, open 1974) was the 1st major auditorium project by designer Warren & Mahoney & acousticians Marshall Day. These are however recognised as a exemplary lesson of concert-hall project.

Dance Parties
Christchurch has the wide range of dance parties. Reference may be found from either inner-city cafés like C1 in High Street, or even record places. When virtually all of the parties come either home or even drum'north'bass, now & again there are trance and hardhouse parties.

Live Music
the city has a wide range of venues for live music, some short-lived, others by having decades of history.

Christchurch is house to the sales person symphony orchestra, the [http://www.cso.co.nz/ CSO]. There are likewise ordinarily buskers in a area of the town square.

Sport

Sports Played Hang gliding and parasailing. Yachting and windsurfing. Swimming, surfing, surf lifesaving, surfcasting, and fishing. Netball, represented by the Canterbury Flames in the national league. Golf a city has more than the 12 links course & has hosted the PGA-sanctioned Clearwater Classic since 2002. Cricket - Christchurch's major summer sport Rugby Union, represented by the Crusaders in the Super 14 competition and Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship.

Major Sporting Grounds Jade Stadium (formerly called Lancaster Park) is Christchurch's premier outdoor sporting ground which presently plays unsuspecting hosts to Rugby Union in the winter months & Cricket in the summer months. These are at home to the Canterbury Crusaders and Canterbury NPC Rugby Teams. These are too utilized per New Zealand Cricket Team and now and again hosts the New Zealand Warriors Rugby League match. Jade Stadium has the todays capacity of 36,500 population. QEII Park was build for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games which Christchurch hosted in 1974. These are utilized in todays world primerily as an Athletics park, and contains the fresh upgraded Floating Pool complex. It besides has hosted a bit of major concerts it used to be that from either elastic like a Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Educational institutions

The total of third education institutions keep around campuses within Christchurch, or even in the encompassing areas.

Christchurch College of Education Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Otago University) Lincoln University Southern Institute of Technology University of Canterbury

Transport
Christchurch is served by Christchurch International Airport & by buses (local and long-few feet away) and trains. A local bus company, called [http://www.metroinfo.org.nz/ Metro], is provided by [http://www.ecan.govt.nz/home/ Environment Canterbury], a Canterbury regional council.

Sister cities

Christchurch has hexad sister cities around the world. It is:

Adelaide, Australia Christchurch, Dorset, England Gansu province, China Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan Seattle, Washington, United States of America Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea