New Plymouth (pop. 80,679) is a district in the North Island of New Zealand. The district includes the city of New Plymouth as well as a number of smaller towns. New Plymouth is the chief district and port of Taranaki, which was once called New Plymouth province. New Plymouth is the base of a vast offshore gas development. The district, which lies below the northern slopes of Mount Taranaki, has several beaches. Its chief park, Pukekura Park, is one of the most picturesque in New Zealand. An art gallery and the Puke Ariki museum and library are near the downtown area. St. Mary’s Church, opened in 1846, is one of New Zealand’s oldest stone churches.
