Rangitikei District
From Open Encyclopedia
| Rangitikei | ||
| District | Name | Rangitikei |
| Population | 15,400 | |
| Extent | Pukeokahu to Whangaehu;
Turangarere to Himatangi | |
Image:Rangitikei.jpg
Rangitikei is a district in the Manawatu-Wanganui region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located in the southwest of the island, and follows the catchment area of the river which shares its name.
Located north of Wellington, the district stretches from the South Taranaki Bight toward the North Island Volcanic Plateau, forming a trapezium-shaped block that includes the towns of Taihape, Bulls, Marton, Hunterville, and Mangaweka. The district has an area of 4538 km2.
The population of the district is approximately 15,400. The main town and seat of the district council is Marton, which has a population of 4,750.
The Whangaehu River partly runs through the northern extremity of the district. Its upper reaches were the scene of the Tangiwai disaster in 1953, New Zealand's worst rail disaster, in which 151 people lost their lives.
