Christchurch has a total land area of around 1,426 square kilometers. This includes both urban and rural areas within the city boundaries.
The island group east of Christchurch that belongs to New Zealand is called the Chatham Islands. They are situated about 800 kilometers east of the South Island and have their own distinct culture and biodiversity.
Christchurch is named after Christ Church in the city of Oxford, England. This name was chosen by early settlers in honor of the cathedral that plays a significant role in the history of the Anglican Church.
It took several years to rebuild Christchurch following the devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, with some areas still undergoing reconstruction. The city has made significant progress in restoring infrastructure and revitalizing the community, although the process is ongoing.
The Māori name for Christchurch is Ōtautahi. It is commonly used alongside the English name in New Zealand.
Otautahi Meaning the place of Tautahi a chief who arrived in one of the original waka (ocean going canoes)
The company called Kmart was founded in the year 1977 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The very first Kmart opened in the year 1994 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The first McDonald's restaurants in Christchurch, and the first in the South Island of New Zealand opened at Linwood (cnr Buckleys Road and Linwood Ave) and Merivale (Papanui Road) on Tuesday 3 November 1987. The Riccarton restaurant (Riccarton Road) opened not long after - it was supposed to open on the same day as Linwood and Merivale, but was delayed due to franchising problems.
The first British Empire Games held in New Zealand were held in 1950 in Auckland.
Music Centre of Christchurch was created in 1994.
Coat of arms of the City of Christchurch was created in 1949.
The number one christchurch motel as voted on tripadviser costs $137 a night to stay in and is based in Columbo in the heart of the town. The christchurch motel on Riccarton Road, New Zealand is voted number 30 and costs $124 a night to stay in.