Whangarei is the regional capital of the northland region of New Zealand; the city has a small population of about 50000 people.

The area around has known for its good limestone deposits which are used for cement manufacture and for use in making fire bricks, the industry employs many people from miners, haulage truck drivers and ship owners who then send out to where ever it is needed. The lime stone industry also benefits farmers who need the lime for their agricultural activities.

The Whangarei area is sustained by the agricultural sector which is an important source of employment for the local community, dairy farming being an important part of the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector provides jobs for agronomists, farm workers, veterinary, agricultural extension officers, drivers, and farm produce vendors.

Whangarei has become the service center for the northland region, with the major services being concentrated in this region and employing the bulk of the working population, for example the transport sector which provides jobs for drivers, train drivers, engine stockers, train conductors etc is centered in Whangarei through the North Auckland railway line, and the major highways that link the town to Auckland, the transport industry also provides jobs for ship owner and people who work on the ships since shipping is the main transport form of transport for Whangarei.

The education sector which is part of the services sector provides many job opportunities for people in Whangarei, there are many government and private academic institutions such as Whangarei Boys High School, Whangarei Girls High School, Whangarei School, Whangarei Intermediate, Bloomfield Special School and Resource Center, Christian Renewal School. Tourism in Whangarei is a major provider of job opportunities, for example you can get a job as a tour guide if you have good knowledge of the sights in Whangarei, you can became a waiter, manager, chef, musician or bar tender at one of the many hotels, lodges, spa’s, bars, or restaurants that service the tourist industry.

Some of the major tourist destinations in the city are Mt Parihaka which is a volcanic dome that rises 241m to the north east of the city, another tourist attraction is Hatea River which flows south of through the city and empties into the Whangarei Harbour, the river has a spectacular waterfall that attracts tourists from all over the world. The tourism sector in Whangarei is quite big because of the subtropical climate that the area enjoys.