town, north-central North Island, New Zealand. It lies in the upper Waikato River basin of the Volcanic Plateau. It was constituted a county town in 1953. Tokoroa is a market and service centre that has grown rapidly since the late 1940s. Lying along the Taupo-Putaruru Highway and a rail line to Auckland (140 miles 【225 km】 northwest), Tokoroa is situated in a region of sheep and dairy farming and large tree plantations. In addition to its own cheese-making works, joinery, general engineering works, sawmills, and stone quarries, it is the residence for workers in the pulp, plywood, and paper factories at Kinleith (4 miles 【6 km】 south). New Zealand Forest Products Limited has built in Tokoroa one of the nation's largest private housing estates. Pop. (2001) 14,430.