Whangarei District is a territorial authority district in the Northland Region of New Zealand that is governed by the Whangarei District Council. The land is largely rural and makes up a fifth of the Northland Region. To the north is the Far North District, to the west and south is the Kaipara District, and to the east is the Pacific Ocean. Whangarei District extends southwards to the southern end of Bream Bay, northwards to Whangaruru, and westwards up the Mangakahia River valley past Pakotai towards the west coast. It includes the Hen and Chicken Islands and the Poor Knights Islands, both nature reserves.