Waikato
Population: 496,700
Waikato is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupō District, and parts of Rotorua District. The name for the region is taken from the Waikato River; waikato is a Māori word traditionally translated as "flowing water".