[2] The Auckland City included the Auckland CBD – a major financial and commercial centre – the surrounding suburbs, and Hauraki Gulf islands such as Waiheke and Great Barrier Island.

The Waitematā Harbour, which opens to the Hauraki Gulf, separated North Shore City from the isthmus.

A few kilometres to the southeast at Ōtāhuhu, the Tāmaki River, an arm of the Hauraki Gulf on the east coast, comes just 1200 metres from the Manukau's waters.

However, amalgamation, forced onto local authorities often against their will, was criticised to have led to less democracy and higher rates for the same services.

[7] In 2009, Auckland was rated the fourth-best place to live in the world, in human resources consultancy Mercer's annual survey.

[13] Air New Zealand has its worldwide headquarters, called "The Hub", off Beaumont and Fanshawe Streets in the Western Reclamation;[14][15] the airline moved there from the Auckland CBD in 2006.

[16] All of these cities except Hamburg (Germany) and Galway (Ireland) are located around the Pacific Rim.