Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city with a metro population over 1.6 million residents. Tāmaki-makau-rau (its Māori name) is located near the middle of the North Island on an isthmus fronting Waitematā Harbour (also called Auckland Harbour). The land was first settled by the Māori people. After selling it to the British Crown in 1840 during the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand became a self-governing colony. William Hobson, New Zealand’s first governor, named the settlement after George Eden, the Earl of Auckland. From those colonial times, Auckland has blossomed into a wonderful community filled with culture, entertainment, sports and a thriving economy. These are just a few reasons why Auckland is often ranked among the world’s most livable cities.