Facts And Figures About Christchurch

As one of the largest cities in New Zealand, you would expect there to be lots of interesting facts, figures, and trivia about Christchurch. We’ve found some of the most interesting statistics about Christchurch – keep these in mind as you explore the city.

• It is the largest city in the South Island, and the 3rd largest urban area in the country in terms of population.
• The population of Christchurch is around 350,000.
• The nickname of Christchurch is the “Garden City” owing to its large botanic gardens and central park.
• Archaeological evidence suggests that Christchurch was first settled by Maori in the 13th Century.
• Christchurch was the first place in New Zealand to officially become a city; this occurred on July 31, 1856.
• The 1974 Commonwealth Games were hosted in Christchurch. QEII Park (named after Queen Elizabeth II)
• A fire in the Ballantynes department store in 1947 remains the worst fire disaster in New Zealand history, with 41 fatalities.
• Christchurch was the location of one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country’s history – the February 2011 earthquake. 185 people were killed, many more injured, and huge swathes of the city were destroyed.
• As a result of the earthquake, almost 30 million tonnes of ice fell off the Tasman Glacier, resulting in effective tsunami conditions on the Tasman Lake.
• BY Keisha