Tauranga, city in New Zealand, in northern North Island, a seaport on the Bay of Plenty. Located on a main rail line, it is a major shipping center for wood products, wool, and dairy goods. Manufactures include processed food, building supplies, clothing, and printed materials. An Anglican mission was established here in the 1830s; the community then grew as a port and a defense post. The name is from a Maori word meaning “sheltered anchorage” or “landing place for canoes.” Population (1998 estimate) 89,800.
