Christchurch is the largest city of the South Island of New Zealand. It is main trading and export centre for the lamb, wool,
and grain of the fertile Canterbury Plains and this has led to the setting up of meat-freezing plants, and factories making woollen goods. There is also considerable other industry. Boots and shoes, and clothing are produced, as well as rubber products, machinery, biscuits and confectionary. There is a port at Lyttelton, and an international airport at Harewood.
The city is situated at the edge of the Canterbury Plains and is separated from Lyttelton, 11 kilometres (7 miles) away, by the Port Hills.
The city has wide streets running in a neat pattern from the central
cathedral square. Through this pattern of straight, parallel streets flows the oak- and willow-lined River Avon, a slow-moving stream ideal for boating. Christchurch is noted for its many fine private and public gardens and parks. It is the most "English" town in New Zealand, both in spirit and appearance.
Founded in 1850 by settlers of the Canterbury Association, whose aim was to establish Christian settlements in the British colonies, Christchurch was planned from the start as a cathedral and
university city. It was named after the Oxford University college of Christ Church, which Robert Godley, one of the founders, had attended. As well as a university it has technical and training colleges, an art gallery, and a fine museum, which contains many of the items used by the first Antarctic expedition parties, which stopped at Lyttelton and Christchurch for provisions before continuing to the South Pole. There is a statue in the city to the Antarctic explorer Captain Scott sculpted by his widow. Christchurch airport is used for direct flights to McMurdo Sound, the main United States base in Antarctica. The population of the city in 1986 was 168,200.