Ōtara is a suburb of South Auckland, New Zealand (formerly Manukau City), situated 18 kilometres to the southeast of the Auckland CBD. Ōtara lies near the head of the Tamaki River (actually an arm of the Hauraki Gulf), which extends south towards the Manukau Harbour. Contemporary Ōtara is surrounded by the suburbs of Papatoetoe, East Tāmaki, Clover Park and Flat Bush. The suburb is noted for its proportion of Pacific Islander residents, who make up 78% of the Ōtara population, and its unusually low number of European New Zealanders (Pākehā) residents (10%).