Levin, New Zealand

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Levin
Taitoko
Population: 19,137 (2001)
Territorial Authority
Horowhenua District
Intersection of Queen Street with Oxford Street (State Highway 1) in Levin town centre
Intersection of Queen Street with Oxford Street (State Highway 1) in Levin town centre

Levin is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand, and is the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is on State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk railway, 90km north of Wellington, 50km south of Palmerston North, and two kilometres to the east of Lake Horowhenua.

The town was named after William Hort Levin, a director of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. The name is a variation of the Jewish clan Levi. It is a shibboleth - unlike the usual pronunciation of the surname, stress is placed on the second syllable of the word. The name thus rhymes with the word 'begin'. The town's Maori name is Taitoko.

Levin is a service centre for the surrounding rural area, and a centre of light manufacturing. According to the 2006 census, the resident population was 19,137, an increase of 0.5% from 2001 [1] [2]. Over 20% of inhabitants were listed as over the age of 65, a considerably higher percentage than the national average [3]. The town celebrated its centenary in 2006.

[edit] Notable people

[edit] Schools

Further information: List of schools in Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand#Horowhenua District

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Population Count for Horowhenua District, 1996, 2001 and 2006"
  2. ^ "Interactive map, Levin statistical area"
  3. ^ "Levin age profile, NZ Stats"

Coordinates: 40°38′S, 175°16′E

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The Overlander passenger train stops: (North Island Main Trunk Railway)