Palmerston North

Palmerston North Te Papaioea (Māori)
City
Clockwise from top: The Square, Central Business District, All Saints Church, City Library, The Square Clock Tower
Flag
Nickname:  Palmy
Motto(s):  Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat (Let him who has earned it, bear the reward)[1][2]
Palmerston North
Coordinates: 40°21.3′S 175°36.7′E / 40.3550°S 175.6117°E / -40.3550; 175.6117
Country	New Zealand
Island	North Island
Region	Manawatū-Whanganui
Borough proclaimed	1877
City proclaimed	1930
Electorates	Palmerston North, Rangitīkei; (Māori): Te Tai Hauāuru
Government
• Mayor	Grant Smith
• Deputy Mayor	Debi Marshall-Lobb
• MP	Tangi Utikere (Labour)
• Territorial authority	Palmerston North City Council
Area [3]
• Territorial	394.74 km2 (152.41 sq mi)
• Urban	77.05 km2 (29.75 sq mi)
Highest elevation	760 m (2,490 ft)
Lowest elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (June 2024)[4]
• Territorial	92,500
• Density	230/km2 (610/sq mi)
• Urban	83,100
• Urban density	1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
• Demonym	Palmerstonian
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Post codes	4410, 4412, 4414, 4471, 4472, 4475, 4810, 4820
Area code	06
Local iwi	Ngāti Rangitāne
Website	www.pncc.govt.nz

Palmerston North (/ˈpɑːmərstən/; Māori: Te Papa-i-Oea, colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy)^[5] is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manawatū River, 35 km (22 mi) from the river's mouth, and 12 km (7 mi) from the end of the Manawatū Gorge, about 140 km (87 mi) north of the capital, Wellington. Palmerston North is the country's eighth-largest urban area, with an urban population of 83,100 (June 2024).^[4] The estimated population of Palmerston North city is 92,500 (June 2024).^[4]

The official limits of the city take in rural areas to the south, north-east, north-west and west of the main urban area, extending to the Tararua Ranges; including the town of Ashhurst at the mouth of the Manawatū Gorge, the villages of Bunnythorpe and Longburn in the north and west respectively. The city covers a land area of 395 square kilometres (98,000 acres).^[6]

The city's location was once little more than a clearing in a forest and occupied by small communities of Māori, who called it Papa-i-Oea,^[7] believed to mean "How beautiful it is".^[8] In the mid-19th century, it was settled by Europeans—originally by Scandinavians and, later, British settlers. On foundation, the British settlement was bestowed the name Palmerston, in honour of Viscount Palmerston, a former British Prime Minister. The suffix North was added in 1871 to distinguish the settlement from Palmerston in the South Island. Today, the name is often informally shortened to "Palmy".^[9]

Early Palmerston North relied on public works and sawmilling. The west coast railway was built in 1886, linking the town to Wellington, and Palmerston North benefited from a booming pastoral farming industry. Linton Military Camp, Palmerston North Hospital, and the establishment of Massey University (in 1927) have reduced the dependence on farming due to more skilled workers, since the early 20th century. Popular attractions include Te Manawa (a museum and art gallery that includes the New Zealand Rugby Museum),^[10] and several performing arts venues.