the area's roads are largely only metalled rather than being sealed. The main road (State Highway 1) is sealed, the final section completed in April 2010. Ninety Mile Beach is a designated highway, but most rental contracts include it in "prohibited roads". The nearest town to the capes at the tip of the peninsula is Kaitaia, 100 kilometres to the south. It is named after Te Aupōuri, one of the Māori tribes that inhabits it. Demographics The two statistical areas making up Aupouri Peninsula cover and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. The statistical areas include Awanui to the south of the peninsula. Aupouri Peninsula had a population of 3,912 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 513 people (15.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 564 people (16.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,404 households, comprising 1,968 males and 1,941 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.01 males per female, with 885 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 618 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 1,701 (43.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 705 (18.0%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 60.7% European/Pākehā, 59.7% Māori, 4.8% Pacific peoples, 1.9% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 7.8, compared with 27.1% nationally. Of those people who chose to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 39.4% had no religion, 38.6% were Christian, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 13.0% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 273 (9.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 804 (26.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 249 people (8.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,305 (43.1%) people were employed full-time, 474 (15.7%) were part-time, and 207 (6.8%) were unemployed. Aupouri Aquifer The Aupouri Aquifer extends along the whole length of Ninety Mile Beach, and includes lowlying land between Waimanoni and Ahipara, covering a total land area of 75,322 hectares. Groundwater levels are monitored and water allocation limits are set by Northland Regional Council. Resource consents for water takes include conditions for monitoring bores to observe water levels and any saltwater intrusion. There are a number of small lakes in the Aupouri Peninsula, such as Lake Waiparera, Lake Heather, Lake