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Wellington

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Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand.

Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand

It sits at the southwestern tip of the North Island. The city is located between the Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range.

Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand

It is the third-largest city in the country. It is also the southernmost capital of a sovereign state. The weather is temperate and maritime.

Wellington, May 2015 (20c)
Wellington, May 2015 (20c)

Because it is near the narrow Cook Strait, it is the windiest city in the world by average wind speed. People often call it "Windy Wellington."

Māori oral tradition tells of great explorers.

Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec son épouse Te Aparangi (focus)
Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec son épouse Te Aparangi (focus)

Stories say the explorer Kupe visited the harbour around the 10th century. He may have named the islands in the harbour after his daughters.

Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand

The area was settled by Māori iwi like Rangitāne and Muaūpoko. Later, other groups like Te Āti Awa moved into the region.

Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec son épouse Te Aparangi (focus)
Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec son épouse Te Aparangi (focus)

Māori have several names for this place. One name is Te Whanganui-a-Tara, which means "the great harbour of Tara." Another name is Pōneke.

European settlement began in the late 1830s.

Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand c 1840
Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand c 1840

The New Zealand Company sent settlers on ships like the Aurora in 1840.

Early Map of Wellington - Wellington County District (23530307892)
Early Map of Wellington - Wellington County District (23530307892)

At first, people built homes at Petone. They soon moved across the harbour to Thorndon because the first area was swampy.

Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand c 1840
Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand c 1840

Captain William Mein Smith designed the city layout. He used a grid plan that spread along valleys and hills.

Corner of Bowen Street and Lambton Quay, circa 1929
Corner of Bowen Street and Lambton Quay, circa 1929

He did not fully account for the hilly terrain in his design.

Wellington became the capital in 1865.

Parliament Buildings and The Beehive
Parliament Buildings and The Beehive

Before this, Auckland was the capital. The city is the political centre where the Parliament and Supreme Court are located.

Old High Court building Wellington New Zealand 2015
Old High Court building Wellington New Zealand 2015

It is a major seaport for ships from near and far.

Departure (33950426345)
Departure (33950426345)

You can reach the city by bus, train, or ferry.

Wellington (261409365)
Wellington (261409365)

Wellington Airport is the third-busiest airport in New Zealand. The city also has two public research universities.

Today, many people call it the cultural capital.

The city is known for its film and special effects industries.

Embassytheatredayjex
Embassytheatredayjex

It is also a hub for finance and information technology.

Public Trust building 131-135 Lambton Quay 2021-08-21
Public Trust building 131-135 Lambton Quay 2021-08-21

In 2021, it was ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world.

N2 Oriental Bay
N2 Oriental Bay

Areas like Cuba Street and Newtown are famous for food and creativity.

Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand

The city has grown from a small settlement into a busy, modern capital.

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🖼️ Images & Media (36)
File:Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec son épouse Te Aparangi (focus).jpg
Wellington.- Statue de Kupe Raiatea avec...
File:Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand c 1840.jpg
Lambton Harbour, Wellington, New Zealand...
File:Early Map of Wellington - Wellington County District (23530307892).jpg
Early Map of Wellington - Wellington...
File:Corner of Bowen Street and Lambton Quay, circa 1929.jpg
Corner of Bowen Street and Lambton Quay,...
File:Wellington, New Zealand.JPG
Wellington, New Zealand.JPG
File:View of Wellington from Mt Victoria (10).jpg
View of Wellington from Mt Victoria (10).jpg
File:Departure (33950426345).jpg
Departure (33950426345).jpg
File:ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Wellington Cenotaph - Flickr - NZ Defence Force (2).jpg
ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Wellington...
File:2023 NZ Census Population Density - Wellington City.png
2023 NZ Census Population Density -...
File:WELLINGTON, BOTANICAL GARDENS (44448999).jpg
WELLINGTON, BOTANICAL GARDENS (44448999).jpg
File:Government House front.jpg
Government House front.jpg
File:NZ WL St Mary of the Angels (3).jpg
NZ WL St Mary of the Angels (3).jpg

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