Manawatu is a district in the Manawatu-Wanganui region in the North Island of New Zealand.

"The Manawatu", as it is usually called, is located in the southwest of the island, close to the river which shares its name.

Located north of Wellington, the district stretches from slightly north of the settlement of Himatangi in the south to just south of Mangaweka in the north, and from the Rangitikei River to the summit of the Tararua Ranges. The southern boundary follows the Manawatu River, and the district excludes the area around the city of Palmerston North. The district has an area of 2532 km².

The population of the district is approximately 27,500. The main town and seat of the district council is Feilding, which has a population of 12,700.

External links

• Manawatu District history