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Canterbury (District occupying most)

a district occupying most of the center of South Island, New Zealand, with a coast line of 200 miles, CANTERBURY-BELL and a greatest breadth of about 150 miles. The W. part is traversed by mountains, from which a fertile plain of 2,500,000 acres slopes gradually down to the sea. Banks' Peninsula is a projection on the E. coast, consisting of an assemblage of densely-wooded hills, and containing several harbors. The famous "Canterbury Plains," extending extending along the coast, are admirably adapted for agriculture, while the interior is fine pastoral country, though, except near the highlands, very destitute of trees.

It has considerable mineral resources.

The chief places in the province are Christchurch, the capital; and Lyttelton, the port town, 8 miles from Christchurch. Area, 13,858 square miles. Pop. about 200,000.