Waikato River Map
The Waikato River is a 425 km (264 mi) river in New Zealand. This map shows its course from Lake Taupō to the Tasman Sea on shaded relief, with its river network, lakes, borders and major cities.
How to read this map
The Waikato River is about 425 km (264 mi) long and drains a basin of about 13,700 km² (5,290 sq mi). Its average discharge is about 340 m³/s (12,000 cu ft/s). It rises at Lake Taupō and flows into the Tasman Sea. Tributaries include Waipā River, Waipakihi River, Wairakei River, Whangamarino River, Mangatāwhiri River and Tutaenui Stream.
The highlighted blue line is the course of the Waikato River as mapped by Natural Earth. Towns and cities on the map include Auckland, Manukau City, North Shore, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, New Plymouth and Pukekohe.
Greens show lower elevations; tan and brown show higher land, with pale tones toward the highest terrain. Shadows emphasize the slopes, and vertical relief is exaggerated so landforms are easier to read. Dashed lines show country borders.
The relief uses Terrain Tiles (SRTM, GMTED2010 and ETOPO1 elevation data). Rivers, lakes, borders and the course of the Waikato River come from Natural Earth, and the figures on this page from Wikidata. Natural Earth draws features at a small scale, so the line is a guide to where the Waikato River is, not a surveyed boundary.
Blank physical map
The blank version keeps the mapped features and removes the place labels. Download it for a geography worksheet or practice identifying the features.
Waikato River facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 425 km (264 mi) |
| Drainage basin | 13,700 km² (5,290 sq mi) |
| Average discharge | 340 m³/s (12,000 cu ft/s) |
| Source | Lake Taupō |
| Mouth | the Tasman Sea |
| Countries | New Zealand |
| Tributaries | Waipā River, Waipakihi River, Wairakei River, Whangamarino River, Mangatāwhiri River and Tutaenui Stream |
Data sources and license
- Natural Earth (public-domain geography): Public domain.
- Terrain Tiles / Mapzen (SRTM, GMTED2010, ETOPO1): Open elevation data; source attribution retained.
- Wikidata (lengths, areas, countries and other facts): CC0 1.0.
Map design and rendered images: Atlas of Maps, CC BY 4.0. Source databases retain their own licenses; the map license does not replace them.
Maps of the countries: New Zealand. Compare with the world rivers map.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Waikato River?
The Waikato River is about 425 km (264 mi) long, with a drainage basin of about 13,700 km² (5,290 sq mi).
Where does the Waikato River start and end?
The Waikato River rises at Lake Taupō and flows into the Tasman Sea.
Can I download a blank map of the Waikato River?
Yes. The blank version keeps the relief, rivers and borders and the highlighted river but removes the place names. Both versions are free to download as PNG and as an A4 PDF.
Use this map
You can download, print and share this map for free, in class, in school projects, in presentations and on websites, as long as you credit the source: Waikato River Map · Atlas of Maps (atlasofmaps.com), license CC BY 4.0.
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