It is located in the Canterbury region , near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains. It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay , and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula.
With the exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m 66 ft above sea level. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall. British colonial settlement began in the mid-nineteenth century. It became a city by royal charter on 31 July , making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand. Christchurch was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, with the opening of the Main South Line railway and the development of state housing saw rapid growth in the city's economy and population.
Christchurch has strong cultural connections with its European elements and architectural identity. Christchurch is also home to a number of performing arts centres and academic institutions including the University of Canterbury. Christchurch has hosted numerous international sporting events, notably the British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park. The city has been recognised as an Antarctic gateway since , and is nowadays one of the five Antarctic gateway cities hosting Antarctic support bases for several nations.
Christchurch is served by the Christchurch Airport in Harewood , the country's second-busiest airport. The city suffered a series of earthquakes from September , with the most destructive occurring on 22 February , in which people were killed and thousands of buildings across the city suffered severe damage, with many central city buildings collapsing, leading to ongoing recovery and rebuilding projects.
Christchurch later became the site of a terrorist attack targeting two mosques on 15 March The name Christchurch was adopted at the first meeting of the Canterbury Association on 27 March The reason it was chosen is not known with certainty, but the most likely reason is it was named after Christ Church, Oxford , the alma mater of many members of the association, including John Robert Godley.
