Wikipedia
Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It is considered to be a satellite town of Christchurch, although in the Waimakariri for statistical purposes it is part of the Christchurch urban area.
In the 2006 census, the population of the town was 10,200, with a further 1,700 residents in the surrounding area. This represents a growth rate of 11% over the previous five years.
Kaiapoi suffered extensive damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, which rendered many homes uninhabitable and businesses inoperable.
Kaiapoi was a rural New Zealand electorate, north of Christchurch in the Canterbury region of New Zealand from 1861 to 1946. It was represented by twelve Members of Parliament.