 Contemporary Otara is surrounded by the suburbs of Papatoetoe, East Tamaki, Clover Park and Flat Bush.The suburb is noted for its proportion of Pacific Islander residents, who make up 68% of the Otara population and its unusually low number of European New Zealanders (Pākehā) residents (13%).In the Māori language, "Ō-Tara" means ‘the place of Tara’ or ‘territory belonging to Tara’, who was a rangatira (Māori chief) of the area.