International partnerships

Sister cities

Sister cities are long-term partnerships established through formal agreements between two local governments in different countries. International protocol suggests each city has only one sister city per foreign country. These partnerships typically have the most diverse range of mutually beneficial programmes, from cultural and youth activities through to municipal and business initiatives.

Auckland has five sister cities:

Brisbane, capital of Queensland, Australia and largest council in the southern hemisphere

Busan, second largest city in South Korea and third largest international port in the world

Fukuoka, business hub of Kyushu Island and home to some of Japan's largest festivals

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province and commercial hub of southern China

Los Angeles, gateway to California, USA and film capital of the world.