Gisborne, city and port in New Zealand, on the eastern coast of North Island. Gisborne is located on Poverty Bay, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, at the mouth of the Turanganui River. The area around Gisborne is one of New Zealand's most important centers for growing grapes for wineries. Gisborne is a busy market and service center for nearby farms and timber operations, as well as a busy industrial center. Industries include engineering, hosiery and fertilizer plants, and dairy, food, and wool processing. The east coast region is also the contemporary heartland of New Zealand's native people, the Maori, and Gisborne has a gallery of Maori art.
Poverty Bay was the first area visited by British explorer Captain James Cook when he arrived in New Zealand in October 1769. Cook gave the bay its name because he could find little food for his crew. The first permanent European settlers arrived in 1852; Gisborne was named for the British colonial secretary Sir William Gisborne. The settlement was declared a city in 1955. Gisborne claims to be the world's most easterly city, lying less than 900 km (less than 560 mi) from the International Date Line. Population (1998 estimate) 33,200.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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