With 45,238 square kilometers of diverse landscapes, including New Zealand's highest mountain (Aoraki/Mount Cook, 3754 m above sea level), major lakes and river systems, and some of its most productive farmland, Canterbury is New Zealand's largest region.

The population of Canterbury is 552,800 (as of June 2008), of which 368,900 live in Christchurch. This makes Canterbury the most populated region in the South Island and the second most populated in New Zealand.