Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the city proper and its hinterland. The population was estimated to be up from 47,400 in 2001.The Whangarei urban area includes the suburbs of Kamo, Tikipunga, Otangarei, Mairtown, Riverside, Sherwood Rise, Onerahi, Morningside, Raumanga, Parihaka, Maunu, Horahora, Woodhill, Vinetown, The Regent, Kensington, and Whau Valley.