Hamilton Travel Guide, New Zealand

Hamilton is a diverse, thriving, and vibrant city in New Zealand, being a melting pot of over 80 ethnic groups and combing all of the energy and vigor of a busy easy with an easy and relaxed lifestyle.  Hamilton is the biggest inland city in the country and the 4th biggest urban area.  The Maori name of the city is Kirikiriroa, which means 'long stretch of gravel'.  The population of the city is about 131,000 people, having 3.2% of the total population in the country, as well as being one of the quickest growing.  Nearly 50% of the residents in Hamilton are under the age of 30.  About 33% of the population is also made up of New Zealand Europeans, as well as 19% Maori.

The Waikato River runs through Hamilton for about 16 kilometers and is the longest river in the country.  There are 135 gardens and parks located in the city, as well as 58 areas for sports, giving the city more than 1,000 hectares of space that is open.  The Waikato Stadium is the best place for sporting events, having a capacity of 26,000 people.

Economy

Hamilton is located in one of the wealthiest pastoral and agricultural areas worldwide.  It is the main service center for the region of Waikato, which is also the highest export region in the country with 20% of the exports.  Hamilton is also the leading area in New Zealand of hi-tech innovation in both the engineering and manufacturing industries.  Hamilton and the rest of the region is the center of the dairy industry, as it  a world class center for agricultural biotech excellence.  National Agricultural Fieldays are also held here, which is the biggest agricultural trade show within the southern hemisphere and generates $290 million in sales.

This city is also the home of much of the science research in the country, as well as many major research facilities.  There are 11,000 businesses situated in the city, and there are also 3 higher education facilities:  the University of Waikato, the Te Wananga o Aotearoa, and the Waikato Institute of Technology.

Transportation

There are many means of transportation in Hamilton.  There are car hire companies, taxis, and buses that are there for travelers to use when needed.  There is also the Hamilton International Airport, which offers domestic flights, as well as international services, regularly.  Some of the domestic services are operated by Air New Zealand, Sunair, Avia Air Charter, and Origin Pacific.  International flights are operated by Freedom Air to various destinations around the Pacific and Australia.