<P> Today an urban area has to be at least 50,000 residents before it can be proclaimed as a city . </P> <P> The populations given in the table below are provisional New Zealand resident populations, June 2017, and they refer to the entire urban area, unless otherwise stated . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank (population) </Th> <Th> Urban area </Th> <Th> Population </Th> <Th> Area (km2) </Th> <Th> Population density (people / km2) </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Auckland </Td> <Td> 7006153470000000000 ♠ 1,534,700 </Td> <Td> 7003108600000000000 ♠ 1,086 </Td> <Td> 7003141320000000000 ♠ 1,413.2 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Wellington </Td> <Td> 7005412500000000000 ♠ 412,500 </Td> <Td> 7002444000000000000 ♠ 444 </Td> <Td> 7002929100000000000 ♠ 929.1 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Christchurch </Td> <Td> 7005396700000000000 ♠ 396,700 </Td> <Td> 7002608000000000000 ♠ 608 </Td> <Td> 7002652500000000000 ♠ 652.5 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Hamilton </Td> <Td> 7005235900000000000 ♠ 235,900 </Td> <Td> 7002877000000000000 ♠ 877 </Td> <Td> 7002269000000000000 ♠ 269.0 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Tauranga </Td> <Td> 7005137900000000000 ♠ 137,900 </Td> <Td> 7002178000000000000 ♠ 178 </Td> <Td> 7002774700000000000 ♠ 774.7 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Napier - Hastings </Td> <Td> 7005133000000000000 ♠ 133,000 </Td> <Td> 7002375000000000000 ♠ 375 </Td> <Td> 7002354700000000000 ♠ 354.7 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Dunedin </Td> <Td> 7005120200000000000 ♠ 120,200 </Td> <Td> 7002255000000000000 ♠ 255 </Td> <Td> 7002471400000000000 ♠ 471.4 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Palmerston North </Td> <Td> 7004853000000000000 ♠ 85,300 </Td> <Td> 7002178000000000000 ♠ 178 </Td> <Td> 7002479200000000000 ♠ 479.2 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Nelson </Td> <Td> 7004667000000000000 ♠ 66,700 </Td> <Td> 7002146000000000000 ♠ 146 </Td> <Td> 7002456800000000000 ♠ 456.8 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Rotorua </Td> <Td> 7004588000000000000 ♠ 58,800 </Td> <Td> 7001890000000000000 ♠ 89 </Td> <Td> 7002660700000000000 ♠ 660.7 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> Whangarei </Td> <Td> 7004577000000000000 ♠ 57,700 </Td> <Td> 7002133000000000000 ♠ 133 </Td> <Td> 7002433800000000000 ♠ 433.8 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> New Plymouth </Td> <Td> 7004575000000000000 ♠ 57,500 </Td> <Td> 7002112000000000000 ♠ 112 </Td> <Td> 7002513400000000000 ♠ 513.4 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Invercargill </Td> <Td> 7004508000000000000 ♠ 50,800 </Td> <Td> 7002123000000000000 ♠ 123 </Td> <Td> 7002413000000000000 ♠ 413.0 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> Whanganui </Td> <Td> 7004403000000000000 ♠ 40,300 </Td> <Td> 7002105000000000000 ♠ 105 </Td> <Td> 7002383800000000000 ♠ 383.8 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> Gisborne </Td> <Td> 7004366000000000000 ♠ 36,600 </Td> <Td> 7001850000000000000 ♠ 85 </Td> <Td> 7002430600000000000 ♠ 430.6 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank (population) </Th> <Th> Urban area </Th> <Th> Population </Th> <Th> Area (km2) </Th> <Th> Population density (people / km2) </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

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