Since the first Maori landed on her shores soon followed by the Europeans, Auckland has become an harmonious harbour-side mosaic of culture. She is the world's largest Polynesian city, a friendly meeting place for the people of the South Pacific. As New Zealand writer Kevin Ireland has wickedly observed, Auckland has a weight problem. "It is one of the biggest cities in the world. Its swollen bulk hangs out over the constricting belt of its isthmus and bulges further than the eye can see. Its head cannot locate its toes."

Two towering, powerful icons emerge from the sprawl- the volcanic cone of Rangitoto and the futuristic Sky Tower. They may also define its soul. Here is a city of tranquility and sophistication combining a stunning coastline with cultural edge. Hecklers claim Auckland is bold, brash and excessive. Critics may be right about the excess, but there is no stopping growth as the city steadily expands. It is actually four cities- North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland and Manukau, straddling an isthmus of land at the narrowest part of New Zealand. Only nine kilometers separates the Pacific Ocean from the Tasman Sea. Aucklanders' love of the water explains the moniker "City of Sails," a reputation enhanced on Waitemata Harbour during the America's Cup 2000 and 2003 regatta.

Over a quarter of the nation's inhabitants live in the Auckland region. Since the Maori alighted from their waka (canoes) to occupy the densely forested land, a steady stream of migrants has followed- Europeans, Asians and Polynesians have all made the journey to create the largest Polynesian enclave in the world.

More than 50 volcanoes have erupted, permanently scarring Auckland's landscape. The last of them, the island of Rangitoto, was born a mere 600 years ago. The buzz, aggression and vitality of the city today echoes this turbulent past.