Christchurch, city in New Zealand, on eastern South Island. It is the principal urban and commercial center of a fertile agricultural region producing grain and sheep. Christchurch is also one of the most important industrial centers in New Zealand. It has excellent transportation facilities, a bountiful water supply, and unlimited quantities of inexpensive hydroelectric power. The chief industries are meat packing, tanneries, and the manufacture of woolen goods, furniture, and transport equipment. Road and rail tunnels through the Port Hills connect Christchurch with the nearby port of Lyttelton. The University of Canterbury (1873) is located in Christchurch. Lincoln University (1990; founded in 1878 as Canterbury Agricultural College) is near the city, in Canterbury. Christchurch was founded about 1850 by the Canterbury Association, a British colonizing society closely affiliated with the Church of England. It was named after Christ Church College at the University of Oxford, England. Population (1998 estimate) 339,500.
