Refer to the current geographies boundaries table for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.
This dataset is the definitive version of the annually released (territorial authority) subdivision boundaries as at 1 January 2025, as defined by the territorial authorities and/or Local Government Commission and maintained by Stats NZ. This version contains 81 subdivisions, excluding area outside subdivision.
Subdivisions are set up under the Local Government Act 2002 and Local Electoral Act 2001. They are provided to ensure fair geographical representation on a community or local board. A subdivision is a division of a community or local board area for electoral purposes. As such, they nest within community or local boards. Subdivision boundaries are reviewed in the year before the three-yearly local government elections.
A number of territorial authorities do not have subdivisions, and if they do, the subdivisions do not necessarily cover the whole territorial authority area. Where a community or local board is divided into subdivisions all of the community or local board area must be included in a subdivision.
There was a large increase in the number of subdivisions between 2010 and 2011. This was due to the creation of the Auckland Council to replace Auckland Regional Council and seven territorial authorities in 2010. Twenty-one local boards were established, a number of which contain subdivisions.
Territorial authorities are defined at meshblock level. Statistical area 1, statistical area 2 and statistical area 3 geographies nest within territorial authority boundaries.
Numbering
Subdivisions are numbered based on their corresponding territorial authority. Each subdivision has a unique five-digit number. The first three digits refer to the territorial authority that the subdivision lies within. The following two digits are sequential and represent the number of subdivisions within the territorial authority. For example, Waipa District (017) has four subdivisions numbered 01701, 01702, 01703 and 01704. The rest of the district is not represented by a subdivision and is coded 01799 (Area Outside Subdivision).
High-definition version
This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.
Macrons
Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.
Digital data
Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.
Further information
To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā
For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.
Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz
