{{Short description|Mountain range in New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Kaimanawa Mountains | other_name = Kaimanawa Range | etymology = | image = Sunset over Kaimanawas.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = Sunset in the Kaimanawa Range | map = New Zealand | elevation_m = 1727 | elevation_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Makorako |title = Makorako Mountain Information}}</ref> }} The '''Kaimanawa Range''', officially called the '''Kaimanawa Mountains''' since 16 July 2020,<ref>{{cite web |title=Notice of approved official geographic names |id=2020-ln3118 |date=16 July 2020 |url= https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2020-ln3118 |work=New Zealand Gazette |accessdate=1 February 2023}}</ref> is a range of mountains in the central [[North Island]] of [[New Zealand]].<ref name=linz>{{LINZ|24136|Kaimanawa Mountains|1 February 2023}}</ref> They extend for 50 kilometres in a northeast–southwest direction through largely uninhabited country to the south of [[Lake Taupō]], east of the "Desert Road". Their slopes form part of the [[North Island Volcanic Plateau]].
The New Zealand [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]] gives a translation of "breath for food" for ''Kaimanawa''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/1000-maori-place-names|title=1000 Māori place names|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage|date=6 August 2019}}</ref>
The lands around the mountains are scrubby. To the west, where the [[Rangipo Desert]] is located, the soils are poor quality. To the east, the soils are more fertile, but the land is very rough. A population of feral horses, the [[Kaimanawa horse]]s, roam free on the ranges.
Unlike the majority of mountain ranges in New Zealand, the Kaimanawa Range is divided into private land. Considerable areas of the Rangipo Desert are used by the [[New Zealand Army]] for training.
==Demographics== Kaimanawa covers {{Convert|1342.26|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=22 May 2025}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Kaimanawa|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Kaimanawa|y}}|R}}/1342.26|2}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations|2006|57|2013|6|2018|180|2023|312|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Kaimanawa (189500)|kaimanawa|Kaimanawa}}</ref>}} Kaimanawa had a population of 312 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 132 people (73.3%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 306 people (5100.0%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 303 males and 9 females in 9 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.189500.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 5.8% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 48.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 33 people (10.6%) aged 15 to 29, 240 (76.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 42 (13.5%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 53.8% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]), 57.7% [[Māori people|Māori]], 5.8% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]], 4.8% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]], and 2.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.1%, Māori by 19.2%, Samoan by 1.0%, and other languages by 3.8%. [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 1.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 8.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 34.6% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 1.0% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 7.7% [[Māori religious beliefs]], 1.0% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 1.0% [[New Age]], and 3.8% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 49.0%, and 3.8% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 18 (5.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 183 (58.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 111 (35.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 3 people (1.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 15 (4.8%) full-time, 39 (12.5%) part-time, and 15 (4.8%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.189500.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Kaimanawa (189500)}}</ref>
== Kaimanawa Wall == [[File:Kaimanawa wall.jpg|thumb|left|Kaimanawa wall]] The Kaimanawa Wall is a geological feature in the Kaimanawa State Forest.<ref name=wall >{{cite web |last=Ritchie |first=Neville |date=1 November 1996 |title=A New Age myth: The Kaimanawa Wall |url= https://articles.skeptics.nz/1996/11/01/a-new-age-myth-the-kaimanawa-wall/ |publisher=[[NZ Skeptics]] |accessdate=15 November 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Howe |first1=K. R. |title=Ideas of Māori origins – 1920s–2000: new understanding |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/1603/the-kaimanawa-wall |website=Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |accessdate=13 January 2019}}</ref> The [[Ngāti Tūwharetoa|Tūwharetoa]] ''[[tangata whenua]]'' (people) claim an "oral tradition" of the place as a ''kōhatu'' (rock).<ref name=wall /> A popular theory is that the wall is a [[Pre-Māori settlement of New Zealand theories|pre-Māori civilization]] artifact.<ref name=wall />
The wall formation was inspected by an archaeologist and a geologist; neither saw evidence of a human origin. In a preliminary investigation, archaeologist [[Neville Ritchie]] of the New Zealand [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]] observed "matching micro-irregularities along the joints." This indicated that the blocks in the wall were too perfectly matched. He also observed the joints were neither straight nor truly horizontal nor perpendicular, indicating the joint alignments were too poorly constructed. Ritchie concluded the blocks are a natural formation based on the presence of matching micro-irregularities in blocks and imperfect joint alignment.<ref name=wall />
Peter Wood, a geologist of the [[GNS Science|Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences at Wairakei]], inspected the blocks for an afternoon and concluded they are natural fractures in "[[Joint (geology)|jointed]] Rangitaiki [[ignimbrite]], a 330,000 year old volcanic rock that is common in the [[Taupō Volcanic Zone]]."<ref name=wall /> Both vertical and horizontal joints are common. Fractures in the Rangitaiki ignimbrite formed when it cooled and contracted after flowing into place during an eruption.<ref name=wall />
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{Coord|-39.223|175.921|region:NZ-MWT_type:mountain|display=title}}
[[Category:Mountain ranges of New Zealand]] [[Category:Taupō District]] [[Category:Ruapehu District]] [[Category:Rangitikei District]] [[Category:Populated places in Manawatū-Whanganui]]