Tauranga is located at the head of a large harbour which extends along the Western Bay of Plenty, and is protected by Matakana Island. Tauranga harbour is a valued recreational haven and one of New Zealand's most popular holiday destinations. The town and headland of Mount Maunganui stand at the entrance to the harbour, five kilometres north of Tauranga. "The Mount", as it is known, is often regarded as a satellite town of Tauranga. The area has been inhabited for at least 600 years with Maori, New Zealand's indigenous people, settling in an area with a pleasant climate, fertile land, and welcoming harbour (the name Tauranga means "sheltered waters" in Maori.
Due to its sheltered position on the east coast, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate. This has made it a popular location to retire to. During the summer months the population swells as the holidaymakers descend on the city. The sunny Pacific Coast of the aptly-named Bay of Plenty offers some of New Zealand's finest beaches for swimming, surfing and other water sports - Mount Maunganui is among the best known beaches in the country.
Much of the countryside surrounding Tauranga is horticultural land, used to grow a wide range of fresh produce for both domestic consumption and export. The area is particularly well known for growing tangelos (a grapefruit / tangerine cross) and kiwifruit. The Port of Tauranga also experiences brisk but seasonal shipping traffic and is a regular stop off for both container ships and luxury cruise liners. The City of Tauranga is home to a population of 110,000 and is the economic hub of the Bay of Plenty region, supporting a wide range of manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and horticulture industries.
Tauranga is home to the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic as well as a branch of the University of Waikato.
State Secondary Schools include:
- Tauranga Boys' College
- Tauranga Girls' College
- Mount Maunganui College
- Otumoetai College
- Bethlehem College - A Christian educational institution for kindergarten, primary and secondary level students
State Primary and Intermediate Schools include:
- Tauranga Intermediate - which schools approximately 1152 year 7 & year 8 students and is the largest dedicated intermediate school in New Zealand .
- Otumoetai Intermediate
- Otumoetai Primary School - has a roll of 550 primary-aged students
- Te Akau ki Papamoa School - a full primary school in Papamoa with 400 students
- Tahatai Coast School
- Papamoa Primary
Christian educational institutions in Tauranga include:
- Bethlehem Campus - a college for both children and adults established in 1988
- South Pacific Bible College - a Christian preaching and missions school founded in 1982
- Aquinas College - a Catholic college established in 2003.
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