Auckland ( ), in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country. Auckland has a population of , percent of New Zealand's population. It is part of the wider Auckland Region, which includes the rural areas and towns north and south of the urban area, plus the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, resulting in a total population of that is governed by the Auckland Council. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. In Maori, Auckland's name is Tamaki Makaurau and the transliterated version of Auckland is Akarana.