Kaikōura
Kaikōura (/kaɪˈkɔːrə/) is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 180 km north of Christchurch. The town has an estimated permanent resident population of 2,360 (as of June 2023).
Kaikōura | |
|---|---|
Minor urban area | |
Town of Kaikōura as seen from the peninsula | |
| Coordinates: 42.40°S 173.68°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Kaikōura District |
| Electorates |
|
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Kaikōura District Council |
| • Kaikōura District Mayor | Craig Mackle |
| • Kaikōura MP | Stuart Smith |
| • Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 9.25 km2 (3.57 sq mi) |
| • District | 2,046.81 km2 (790.28 sq mi) |
| Population (June 2023) | |
| • Urban | 2,360 |
| • Urban density | 260/km2 (660/sq mi) |
| • District | 4,230 |
| • District density | 2.1/km2 (5.4/sq mi) |
| District Postcode(s) | |
| City Postcode | 7300 |
| Website | www |
The town is the governmental seat of the territorial authority of the Kaikōura District, which is politically a part of the Canterbury region. Kaikōura was the first local authority in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve recognition by the EarthCheck Community Standard.
The infrastructure of Kaikōura was heavily damaged in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, with one of the two deaths near the town. The bay and surrounding region were uplifted by as much as 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). In 2023, Kaikōura was named as one of the "most beautiful small towns in the world".