Major institutions of interest within the urban area include the War Memorial Museum, the Museum of Transport and Technology, the City Art Gallery, and Auckland University, which was founded in 1883. There are swimming and surfing beaches and several extinct volcanic cones. Among the many parks and reserves is One Tree Hill, which has an obelisk erected in tribute to the Maori by Sir John Logan Campbell, known as the Father of Auckland. The Waitakere Ranges, a native forest preserve, are near the city.

Auckland is a center of road and rail transportation and the site of New Zealand's leading international airport. The Harbour Bridge, opened in 1959, links the city with Devonport, the country's chief naval base and dockyard, and with the rapidly growing North Shore suburbs.

Principal exports include iron, steel, dairy products, and meat and hides. Petroleum, iron and steel products, sugar, wheat, and phosphates are imported. There are numerous industries in the Auckland area, including engineering and metal trades, fishing, food processing, brewing, sugar refining, and boatbuilding. The city manufactures a variety of other products that include paint, glass, footwear, plastic, chemicals, cement, and fertilizer.

Auckland was established in 1840 by Gov. William Hobson as the capital of the British colonial government. It was named for George Eden, earl of Auckland, first lord of the admiralty, and, later, governor-general of India. Incorporated as a borough in 1851, Auckland remained the capital until it was replaced in that role by Wellington in 1865. Auckland was officially made a city in 1871. (See also New Zealand.) Population (2001 census), city, 371,313; metropolitan area, 1,087,152.