Māori oral tradition tells thatKupe discovered and explored the region in about the 10th century. The area was initially settled byMāoriiwi such asRangitāne andMuaūpoko. The disruptions of theMusket Wars led to them being overwhelmed by northern iwi such asTe Āti Awa in the early 19th century.[19]
Wellington's current form was originally designed by CaptainWilliam Mein Smith, the first Surveyor General forEdward Wakefield'sNew Zealand Company, in 1840.[20] Smith's plan included a series of interconnectedgrid plans, expanding along valleys and lower hill slopes,[21] but without actually taking the terrain into account.[20] The Wellingtonurban area, which only includes urbanised areas within Wellington City, has a population of 208,800 as of June 2024.[10] The wider Wellingtonmetropolitan area, including the cities ofLower Hutt,Porirua andUpper Hutt, has a population of 432,600 as of June 2024.[10] The city has served asNew Zealand's capital since 1865, a status that is not defined in legislation, but established by convention; theNew Zealand Government andParliament, theSupreme Court and most of the public service are based in the city.[22]
Wellington's economy is primarilyservice-based, with an emphasis on finance, business services, government, and the film industry. It is the centre of New Zealand'sfilm and special effects industries, and increasingly a hub for information technology and innovation,[23] with two public research universities. Wellington is one of New Zealand's chief seaports and serves both domestic and international shipping. The city is chiefly served byWellington Airport inRongotai, the country'sthird-busiest airport. Wellington's transport network includestrain and bus lines, which reach as far as theKāpiti Coast andthe Wairarapa, and ferries connect the city to theSouth Island.
Wellington takes its name fromArthur Wellesley, the firstDuke of Wellington and victor of theBattle of Waterloo (1815): his title comes from the town ofWellington in theEnglish county ofSomerset. It was named in November 1840 by the original settlers of theNew Zealand Company on the suggestion of the directors of the same, in recognition of the Duke's strong support for the company's principles of colonisation and his "strenuous and successful defence against its enemies of the measure for colonising South Australia". One of the founders of the settlement,Edward Jerningham Wakefield, reported that the settlers "took up the views of the directors with great cordiality and the new name was at once adopted".[34]
Te Whanganui-a-Tara, meaning "the great harbour of Tara", refers toWellington Harbour.[35] The primary settlement of Wellington is said to have been led by Tara, the son ofWhatonga, a chief from theMāhia Peninsula, who told his son to travel south, to find more fertile lands to settle.[36]
Pōneke, commonly held to be a phonetic Māori transliteration of "Port Nick", short for "Port Nicholson".[37] An alternatively suggested etymology forPōneke is that it comes from a shortening of the phrasePō Nekeneke, meaning "journey into the night", referring to the exodus ofTe Āti Awa from the Wellington area after they were displaced by the first European settlers.[38][39][40] However, the name Pōneke was already in use by February 1842,[41] earlier than the displacement is said to have happened. The city's centralmarae, the community supporting it and itskapa haka group have the pseudo-tribal name ofNgāti Pōneke.[42]
Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning "The Head of the Fish of Māui" (often shortened toTe Upoko-o-te-Ika), a traditional name for the southernmost part of the North Island, deriving from the legend of the fishing up of the island by the demi-godMāui.
The legendary Māori explorerKupe, a chief fromHawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused withHawaii), was said to have stayed in the harbour prior to 1000 CE.[36] Here, it is said he had a notable impact on the area, with local mythology stating he named the two islands in the harbour after his daughters,Matiu (Somes Island), andMākaro (Ward Island).[43]
InNew Zealand Sign Language, the name is signed by raising the index, middle, and ring fingers of one hand, palm forward, to form a "W", and shaking it slightly from side to side twice.[44]
The city's location close to the mouth of the narrow Cook Strait leaves it vulnerable to strong gales, leading to thenickname of "Windy Wellington".[45]
Wellington – statue ofKupe Raiatea with his wife Te Aparangi
InMāori mythology, the legendary Polynesian explorer Kupe, a chief fromHawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused withHawaii), was said to have stayed in the harbour fromc. 925.[36][46] A later Māori explorer, Whatonga, named the harbourTe Whanganui-a-Tara after his son Tara.[47] Before the 1820s, most of the inhabitants of the Wellington region were Whatonga's descendants.[48]
At about 1820, the people living there were Ngāti Ira and other groups who traced their descent from the explorer Whatonga, includingRangitāne andMuaūpoko.[19] However, these groups were eventually forced out ofTe Whanganui-a-Tara by a series of migrations by otheriwi (Māori tribes) from the north.[19] The migrating groups wereNgāti Toa, which came fromKāwhia, Ngāti Rangatahi, from nearTaumarunui, andTe Ātiawa,Ngāti Tama,Ngāti Mutunga, Taranaki andNgāti Ruanui fromTaranaki. Ngāti Mutunga later moved on to theChatham Islands. TheWaitangi Tribunal has found that at the time of the signing of theTreaty of Waitangi in 1840, Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tama, and Ngāti Toa heldmana whenua interests in the area, through conquest and occupation.[19]
Steps towardsEuropean settlement in the area began in 1839, when ColonelWilliam Wakefield arrived to purchase land for theNew Zealand Company to sell to prospectiveBritish settlers.[19] Prior to this time, the Māori inhabitants had had contact with Pākehā whalers and traders.[49]
This early map of Wellington County District shows a number of important historical sites, including Māoripā, pathways,wāhi tapu, and pre-1840 battle sites, as well as battle sites from the New Zealand Land Wars.
European settlement began with the arrival of an advance party of the New Zealand Company on the shipTory on 20 September 1839, followed by 150 settlers on theAurora on 22 January 1840. Thus, the Wellington settlement preceded the signing of theTreaty of Waitangi (on 6 February 1840). The 1840 settlers constructed their first homes atPetone (which they called Britannia for a time) on the flat area at the mouth of theHutt River. Within months that area proved swampy and flood-prone, and most of the newcomers transplanted their settlement across Wellington Harbour toThorndon in present-day Wellington.[50] The town's layout was originally designed by CaptainWilliam Mein Smith, the first Surveyor General for the New Zealand Company, in 1840.[20] Smith's plan included a series of interconnectedgrid plans, expanding along valleys and lower hill slopes,[21] but without actually taking the terrain into account.[20] Early growth was quick, with 700 buildings constructed by 1843. By 1865 the city had only grown to 1,200 buildings, the majority inTe Aro, withNewtown largely undeveloped.[51]
Wellington was declared a city in 1840, and was chosen to be the capital city of New Zealand in1865.[22]
Wellington became the capital city in place ofAuckland, whichWilliam Hobson had made the capital in1841. TheNew Zealand Parliament had first met in Wellington on 7 July 1862, on a temporary basis; in November 1863, thePrime Minister of New Zealand,Alfred Domett, placed a resolution before Parliament in Auckland that "... it has become necessary that theseat of government ... should be transferred to some suitable locality inCook Strait [region]." There had been some concerns that the more populousSouth Island (where the goldfields were located) would choose to form a separate colony in theBritish Empire. Several commissioners (delegates) invited from Australia, chosen for their neutral status, declared that the city was a suitable location because of its central location in New Zealand and its goodharbour; it was believed that the wholeRoyal Navy fleet could fit into the harbour.[52] Wellington's status as the capital is a result ofconstitutional convention rather than statute.[22]
Wellington is New Zealand'spolitical centre, housing the nation's major government institutions. The New Zealand Parliament relocated to the new capital city, having spent the first ten years of its existence in Auckland.[53] A session of parliament officially met in the capital for the first time on 26 July 1865. At that time, the population of Wellington was just 4,900.[54]
TheGovernment Buildings were constructed atLambton Quay in 1876. The site housed the originalgovernment departments in New Zealand. The public service rapidly expanded beyond the capacity of the building, with the first department leaving shortly after it was opened; by 1975 only the Education Department remained, and by 1990 the building was empty. The capital city is also the location of the highest court, theSupreme Court of New Zealand, and the historic former High Court building (opened 1881) has been enlarged and restored for its use. The Governor-General's residence,Government House (the current building completed in 1910) is situated inNewtown, opposite theBasin Reserve.Premier House (built in 1843 for Wellington's first mayor,George Hunter), the official residence of theprime minister, is inThorndon on Tinakori Road.[citation needed]
Over six months in 1939 and 1940, Wellington hosted theNew Zealand Centennial Exhibition, celebrating a century since the signing of theTreaty of Waitangi. Held on 55 acres of land at Rongotai, it featured three exhibition courts, grand Art Deco-style edifices and a hugely popular three-acre amusement park. Wellington attracted more than 2.5 million visitors at a time when New Zealand's population was 1.6 million.[57]
Wellington is at the south-western tip of theNorth Island onCook Strait, separating the North and South Islands. On a clear day, the snowcappedKaikōura Ranges are visible to the south across the strait. To the north stretch the golden beaches of theKāpiti Coast. On the east, theRemutaka Range divides Wellington from the broad plains of theWairarapa, awine region of national notability.
Wellington is more densely populated than most other cities in New Zealand due to the restricted amount of land that is available between its harbour and the surrounding hills. It has very few open areas in which to expand, and this has brought about the development of the suburban towns. Because of its location in theRoaring Forties and its exposure to the winds blowing throughCook Strait, Wellington is the world's windiest city, with an average wind speed of 27 km/h (17 mph).[59]
Wellington's scenic natural harbour and green hillsides adorned with tiered suburbs of colonial villas are popular with tourists. The central business district (CBD) is close to Lambton Harbour, an arm ofWellington Harbour, which lies along an activegeological fault, clearly evident on its straight western shore. The land to the west of this rises abruptly, meaning that many suburbs sit high above the centre of the city. There is a network of bush walks and reserves maintained by theWellington City Council and local volunteers. These includeOtari-Wilton's Bush, dedicated to the protection and propagation of native plants. The Wellington region has 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) of regional parks and forests. In the east is theMiramar Peninsula, connected to the rest of the city by a low-lying isthmus atRongotai, the site ofWellington Airport. Industry has developed mainly in the Hutt Valley, where there are food-processing plants, engineering industries, vehicle assembly and oil refineries.[60]
The narrow entrance to the harbour is to the east of the Miramar Peninsula, and contains the dangerous shallows ofBarrett Reef, where many ships have been wrecked (notably the inter-island ferryTEV Wahine in1968).[61] The harbour has three islands:Matiu/Somes Island,Makaro/Ward Island andMokopuna Island. Only Matiu/Somes Island is large enough for habitation. It has been used as a quarantine station for people and animals, and was aninternment camp during World War I and World War II. It is a conservation island, providing refuge forendangered species, much likeKapiti Island farther up the coast. There is access during daylight hours by the Dominion Post Ferry.
Wellington is primarily surrounded by water, but some of the nearby locations are listed below.
Wellington suffered serious damage in a series ofearthquakes in 1848[62] and from another earthquake in 1855. The1855 Wairarapa earthquake occurred on theWairarapa Fault to the north and east of Wellington. It was probably the most powerful earthquake in recorded New Zealand history,[63] with an estimated magnitude of at least 8.2 on theMoment magnitude scale. It caused vertical movements of two to three metres over a large area, including raising land out of the harbour and turning it into a tidal swamp. Much of this land was subsequentlyreclaimed and is now part of the central business district. For this reason, the street namedLambton Quay is 100 to 200 metres (325 to 650 ft) from the harbour – plaques set into the footpath mark the shoreline in1840, indicating the extent of reclamation. The1942 Wairarapa earthquakes caused considerable damage in Wellington.
The area has high seismic activity even by New Zealand standards, with a major fault, theWellington Fault, running through the centre of the city and several others nearby. Several hundred minor faults lines have been identified within the urban area. Inhabitants, particularly in high-rise buildings, typically notice several earthquakes every year. For many years after the 1855 earthquake, the majority of buildings were made entirely from wood. The 1996-restoredGovernment Buildings[64] near Parliament is the largest wooden building in the Southern Hemisphere. While masonry andstructural steel have subsequently been used in building construction, especially for office buildings,timber framing remains the primary structural component of almost all residential construction. Residents place their confidence in goodbuilding regulations, which became more stringent in the 20th century. Since the Canterbury earthquakes of2010 and2011, earthquake readiness has become even more of an issue, with buildings declared byWellington City Council to be earthquake-prone,[65][66] and the costs of meeting new standards.[67][68]
Every five years, a year-long slow quake occurs beneath Wellington, stretching from Kapiti to theMarlborough Sounds. It was first measured in 2003, and reappeared in 2008 and 2013.[69] It releases as much energy as a magnitude 7 quake, but as it happens slowly, there is no damage.[70]
During July and August 2013 there were many earthquakes, mostly in Cook Strait near Seddon. The sequence started at 5:09 pm on Sunday 21 July 2013 when the magnitude 6.5Seddon earthquake hit the city, but no tsunami report was confirmed nor any major damage.[71] At 2:31 pm on Friday 16 August 2013 theLake Grassmere earthquake struck, this time magnitude 6.6, but again no major damage occurred, though many buildings were evacuated.[72] On Monday 20 January 2014 at 3:52 pma rolling 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the lower North Island 15 km east ofEketāhuna and was felt in Wellington, but little damage was reported initially, except atWellington Airport where one of the two giant eagle sculptures commemoratingThe Hobbit became detached from the ceiling.[73][74]
At two minutes after midnight on Monday 14 November 2016, the 7.8 magnitudeKaikōura earthquake, which was centred between Culverden and Kaikōura in the South Island, caused the Wellington CBD,Victoria University of Wellington, and theWellington suburban rail network to be largely closed for the day to allow inspections. The earthquake damaged a considerable number of buildings, with 65% of the damage being in Wellington. Subsequently, a number of recent buildings were demolished rather than being rebuilt, often a decision made by the insurer. Two of the buildings demolished were about eleven years old – the seven-storeyNZDF headquarters[75][76] and Statistics House at Centreport on the waterfront.[77] The docks were closed for several weeks after the earthquake.[78]
Steep landforms shape and constrain much of Wellington city. Notable hills in and around Wellington include:
Mount Victoria – 196 m. Mt Vic is a popular walk for tourists and Wellingtonians alike, as from the summit one can see most of Wellington. There are numerous mountain bike and walking tracks on the hill.
Averaging 2,055 hours of sunshine per year, the climate of Wellington is temperatemarine, (Köppen:Cfb,Trewartha:Cflk), generally moderate all year round with warm summers and cool to mild winters, and rarely sees temperatures above 26 °C (79 °F) or below 4 °C (39 °F). The hottest recorded temperature in the city is 31.1 °C (88 °F) recorded on 20 February 1896[citation needed], while −1.9 °C (29 °F) is the coldest.[83] The city is notorious for its southerly blasts in winter, which may make the temperature feel much colder. It is generally very windy all year round with high rainfall; average annual rainfall is 1,250 mm (49 in), June and July being the wettest months.Frosts are quite common in the hill suburbs and theHutt Valley between May and September. Snow is very rare at low altitudes, although snow fell on the city and many other parts of the Wellington region during separateevents on 25 July 2011 and 15 August 2011.[84][85] Snow at higher altitudes is more common, with light flurries recorded in higher suburbs every few years.[86]
On 29 January 2019, the suburb of Kelburn (instruments near the oldMetservice building in theWellington Botanic Garden) reached 30.3 °C (87 °F), the highest temperature since records began in 1927.[87]
Climate data for Wellington (Kelburn) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1862–present)
Wellingtonians gathered for theAnzac Day dawn service (2011).
Wellington City covers 289.91 km2 (111.93 sq mi)[93] and had an estimated population of 209,900 as of June 2024,[10] with a population density of 724 people per km2. This comprises 208,800 people in the Wellingtonurban area and 1,100 people in the surrounding rural areas.[10]
Wellington City had a population of 202,689 in the2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 48 people (−0.0%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 11,733 people (6.1%) since the2013 census. There were 97,641 males, 102,372 females and 2,673 people ofother genders in 77,835 dwellings.[96] 9.0% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 29,142 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 55,080 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,806 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,664 (11.7%) aged 65 or older.[95]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.1%European (Pākehā); 9.8%Māori; 5.7%Pasifika; 20.4%Asian; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.7% and other languages by 23.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Of those at least 15 years old, 62,484 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,657 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,339 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $55,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 40,872 people (23.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 102,369 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,201 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,283 (3.0%) were unemployed.[95]
Wellington ranks 12th in the world for quality of living, according to a 2023 study by consulting company Mercer. Of cities in the Asia–Pacific region, Wellington ranked third behind Auckland and Sydney.[102]
In 2024, Wellington was ranked as a highly affordable city in terms ofcost of living, coming in at 145th out of 226 cities in the Mercer worldwide Cost of Living Survey.[103]
In 2019, Mercer ranked cities on personal safety, including internal stability, crime levels, law enforcement, limitations on personal freedom, relationships with other countries and freedom of the press. Wellington shared ninth place internationally with Auckland.[104]
In addition to governmental institutions, Wellington accommodates several of the nation's largest and oldest cultural institutions, such as theNational Archives, theNational Library, New Zealand's national museum,Te Papa and numerous theatres. It plays host to many artistic and cultural organisations, including theNew Zealand Symphony Orchestra andRoyal New Zealand Ballet. Its architectural attractions include theOld Government Buildings – one of the largest wooden buildings in the world – as well as the iconicBeehive, the executive wing ofParliament Buildings as well as internationally renownedFutuna Chapel. The city's art scene includes many art galleries, including the national art collection at Toi Art at Te Papa.[105] Wellington also has many events such asCubaDupa,Wellington On a Plate, theNewtown Festival, Diwali Festival of Lights and Gardens Magic at the Botanical Gardens.[106][107][108]
Wellington's urban area covers 112.71 km2 (43.52 sq mi)[93] and had an estimated population of 208,800 as of June 2024,[10] with a population density of 1,853 people per km2.
The urban area had a population of 201,708 in the2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 84 people (−0.0%) since the2018 census, and an increase of 11,595 people (6.1%) since the2013 census. There were 97,143 males, 101,898 females and 2,667 people ofother genders in 77,472 dwellings.[111] 9.0% of people identified asLGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 28,986 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 54,912 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,272 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,541 (11.7%) aged 65 or older.[110]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.0%European (Pākehā); 9.8%Māori; 5.7%Pasifika; 20.5%Asian; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.8% and other languages by 23.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk).New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Of those at least 15 years old, 62,259 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,273 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,219 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $55,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 40,632 people (23.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 101,892 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,063 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,268 (3.0%) were unemployed.[110]
Old Government Buildings, Lambton Quay, the second-largest wooden building in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere
A modernist building housing theMuseum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa lies on the waterfront, on Cable Street. It is strengthened usingbase isolation[116] – essentially seating the entire building on supports made from lead, steel and rubber that slow down the effect of an earthquake.
Wellington contains many iconic sculptures and structures, such asthe Bucket Fountain inCuba Street andInvisible City byAnton Parsons on Lambton Quay. Kinetic sculptures have been commissioned, such as theZephyrometer.[117] This 26-metre orange spike built for movement by artist Phil Price has been described as "tall, soaring and elegantly simple", which "reflects the swaying of the yacht masts in the Evans Bay Marina behind it" and "moves like the needle on the dial of a nautical instrument, measuring the speed of the sea or wind or vessel."[118]
Wellington has many different architectural styles, such as classicPainted Ladies inMount Victoria,Newtown andOriental Bay, WoodenArt Deco houses spread throughout (especially further north in theHutt Valley), the classic masonry buildings in Cuba Street,state houses particularly in the Hutt and Wellington's southern suburbs,railway houses inNgaio and other railway-side suburbs, large modern buildings in the city centre (such as the distinctive skyscraper called theMajestic Centre) and grand Victorian buildings common in the inner city as well.
The early buildings of Wellington were mostly made from timber due to ample supply. The1848 Marlborough earthquake destroyed most brick buildings leading to most buildings using timber. Fires tore through the city early on due to the large amount of wooden buildings and the first municipal government tried to establish a building code preventing the use of inflammable materials. The council's actions were controversial and opposed by local architects and businessmen. The regulations were gradually weakened due to lack of enforcement and a desire to keep construction busy during theLong Depression. Despite the suggestion fromCharles Tringham to include regulations around earthquake susceptibility there was not any adoption of regulations designed to reduce the risk of collapse form an earthquake.[119]: 51–63
Wellington experienced a real estate boom in the early 2000s and the effects of the international property bust at the start of 2007. In 2005, the market was described as "robust".[120] By 2008, property values had declined by about 9.3% over a 12-month period, according to one estimate. More expensive properties declined more steeply, sometimes by as much as 20%.[121] "From 2004 to early 2007, rental yields were eroded and positive cash flow in property investments disappeared as house values climbed faster than rents. Then that trend reversed and yields slowly began improving", according to twoThe New Zealand Herald reporters writing in May 2009.[122] In the middle of 2009, house prices had dropped, interest rates were low, and buy-to-let property investment was again looking attractive, particularly in the Lambton precinct, according to these two reporters.[122]
Since 2009, house prices in Wellington have increased significantly. In May 2021, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) reported the median house price was $1,057,000 in Wellington City, $930,000 in Porirua, $873,500 in Lower Hutt and $828,000 in Upper Hutt, compared to a national median house price of $820,000.[123] The substantial increase in house prices has made it difficult for first home buyers to purchase a home in the city and is also credited with pushing up the house prices in neighbouring cities like Porirua.[124] Wellington house prices peaked in February 2022, and by December 2023 had fallen by 25%.[125]
Housing costs have been identified as making it difficult for some professions, like nurses, to afford to live in Wellington.[126][127] The median rent in Wellington has also increased significantly in recent years to $600 per week, higher even than Auckland.[128]
Despite the high cost of housing in the capital, the quality of housing in Wellington has been criticised as being poor. 18.4% of houses in Wellington City are sometimes or always mouldy and 24% are sometimes or always damp.[129] Both of these are higher than the New Zealand average.
A Wellington City Council survey conducted in March 2009 found the typical central city apartment dweller was a New Zealand native aged 24 to 35 with a professional job in the downtown area, with household income higher than surrounding areas.[130] Three-quarters (73%) walked to work or university, 13% travelled by car, 6% by bus, 2% bicycled (although 31% own bicycles), and did not travel very far since 73% worked or studied in the central city.[130] The large majority (88%) did not have children in their apartments; 39% were couples without children; 32% were single-person households; 15% were groups of people flatting together.[130] Most (56%) owned their apartment; 42% rented.[130] The report continued: "The four most important reasons for living in an apartment were given as lifestyle and city living (23%), close to work (20%), close to shops and cafes (11%) and low maintenance (11%) ... City noise and noise from neighbours were the main turnoffs for apartment dwellers (27%), followed by a lack of outdoor space (17%), living close to neighbours (9%) and apartment size and a lack of storage space (8%)."[130][131]
Households are primarily one-family, making up 66.9% of households, followed by single-person households (24.7%); there were fewer multiperson households and even fewer households containing two or more families. These counts are from the 2013 census for the Wellington region (which includes the surrounding area in addition to the four cities).[132]
Wellington Harbour ranks as one of New Zealand's chief seaports and serves both domestic and international shipping. The port handles approximately 10.5 million tonnes of cargo on an annual basis,[133] importing petroleum products, motor vehicles, minerals and exporting meats, wood products, dairy products, wool, and fruit. Manycruise ships also use the port.
The Government sector has long been a mainstay of the economy, which has typically risen and fallen with it. Traditionally, its central location meant it was the location of many head offices of various sectors – particularly finance, technology and heavy industry – many of which have since relocated to Auckland following economic deregulation and privatisation.[134][135]
In recent years, tourism, arts and culture, film, andICT have played a bigger role in the economy. Wellington's median income is well above the average in New Zealand,[136] and the highest of all New Zealand cities.[137] It has a much higher proportion of people with tertiary qualifications than the national average.[138] Major companies with their headquarters in Wellington include:
At the 2013 census, the largest employment industries for Wellington residents were professional, scientific and technical services (25,836 people), public administration and safety (24,336 people), health care and social assistance (17,446 people), education and training (16,550 people) and retail trade (16,203 people).[139] In addition, Wellington is an important centre of the New Zealand film and theatre industry, and second to Auckland in terms of numbers of screen industry businesses.[140]
Tourism is a major contributor to the city's economy, injecting approximately NZ$1.3 billion into the region annually and accounting for 9% of total FTE employment.[141] The city is consistently named as New Zealanders' favourite destination in the quarterly FlyBuys Colmar Brunton Mood of the Traveller survey[142] and it was ranked fourth inLonely Planet Best in Travel 2011's Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2011.[143] New Zealanders make up the largest visitor market, with 3.6 million visits each year; New Zealand visitors spend on average NZ$2.4 million a day.[144] There are approximately 540,000 international visitors each year, who spend 3.7 million nights and NZ$436 million. The largest international visitor market is Australia, with over 210,000 visitors, spending approximately NZ$334 million annually.[145]It has been argued that the construction of theTe Papa museum helped transform Wellington into a tourist destination.[146] Wellington is marketed as the 'coolest little capital in the world' by Positively Wellington Tourism, an award-winning regional tourism organisation[147] set up as a council controlled organisation by Wellington City Council in 1997.[148] The organisation's council funding comes through the Downtown Levy commercial rate.[149] In the decade to 2010, the city saw growth of over 60% in commercial guest nights. It has been promoted through a variety of campaigns and taglines, starting with the iconic Absolutely Positively Wellington advertisements.[150] The long-term domestic marketing strategy was a finalist in the 2011 CAANZ Media Awards.[151]
Popular tourist attractions includeWellington Museum,Wellington Zoo,Zealandia andWellington Cable Car.Cruise tourism is experiencing a major boom in line with nationwide development. The 2010/11 season saw 125,000 passengers and crew visits on 60 liners. There were 80 vessels booked for visits in the 2011/12 season – estimated to inject more than NZ$31 million into the economy and representing a 74% increase in the space of two years.[152]
Wellington is a popular conference tourism destination due to its compact nature, cultural attractions, award-winning restaurants and access to government agencies. In the year ending March 2011, there were 6,495 conference events involving nearly 800,000 delegate days; this injected approximately NZ$100 million into the economy.[153]
Cuba Street is considered the microcosm of Wellington's culture, being "quirky" and packed with retail and art, such as theBucket Fountain (pictured).
Owing to the work of Positively Wellington Tourism in marketing it as "the coolest little capital",[147] the city has been injected into the global zeitgeist as exactly that.[154] It has been traditionally acclaimed as New Zealand's "cultural and creative capital".[155][156][157] The city is known for its coffee scene, with now-globally common foods and drinks such as theflat white perfected here.[158][159] Wellington has a strong coffee culture – the city has more cafés per capita thanNew York City – and was pioneered byItalian andGreek immigrants to areas such asMount Victoria,Island Bay andMiramar.[160] Nascent influence is derived fromEthiopian migrants. Wellington's ethnically diverse population also includes significantMalaysian,[161]Italian,Dutch,Korean,Chinese,Greek,[162]Indian,Samoan and indigenousTaranaki Whānui communities. Wellington is noted for is contributions to art, cuisine[163] and international filmmaking (withAvatar andThe Lord of the Rings being largely produced in the city) among many other factors listed below. TheWorld of Wearable Arts (WOW) is an annual event that brings lots of visitors to Wellington every year.[164]
Te Papa ("Our Place"), the Museum of New ZealandWellington Museum occupies theBond Store, a classic Victorian building in the French Second Empire style in the early 1890s.
The annual children'sArtsplash Festival brings together hundreds of students from across the region. The week-long festival includes music and dance performances and the presentation of visual arts.[165]The Performance Arcade is an annual live-art event in shipping containers on the waterfront.[166]
FilmmakersSir Peter Jackson,Sir Richard Taylor and a growing team of creative professionals have turned the eastern suburb ofMiramar into a film-making, post-production and special effects infrastructure centre, giving rise to the moniker 'Wellywood'.[167][168] Jackson's companies includeWētā Workshop,Wētā FX, Camperdown Studios, post-production housePark Road Post, and Stone Street Studios near Wellington Airport.[169][170] Films shot partly or wholly in Wellington include theLord of The Rings trilogy,King Kong andAvatar. Jackson described Wellington: "Well, it's windy. But it's actually a lovely place, where you're pretty much surrounded by water and the bay. The city itself is quite small, but the surrounding areas are very reminiscent of the hills up in northern California, likeMarin County near San Francisco and the Bay Area climate and some of the architecture. Kind of a cross between that and Hawaii."[171]
Sometime Wellington directorsJane Campion andGeoff Murphy have reached the world's screens with their independent spirit. Emerging Kiwi filmmakers, likeRobert Sarkies,Taika Waititi, Costa Botes and Jennifer Bush-Daumec,[172] are extending the Wellington-based lineage and cinematic scope. There are agencies to assist film-makers with tasks such as securing permits and scouting locations.[173]
Wellington has a large number of independent cinemas, including theEmbassy Theatre, Penthouse, the Roxy and Light House, which participate in film festivals throughout the year. Wellington has one of the country's highest turn-outs for the annualNew Zealand International Film Festival. There are a number of other film festivals hosted in Wellington, such as Doc Edge (documentary),[174] the Japanese Film Festival[175] and Show Me Shorts (short films).[176]
Te Whaea National Dance & Drama Centre, houses New Zealand's university-level schools,Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School & theNew Zealand School of Dance, these are separate entities that share the building's facilities.
Wellington is characterised by small dining establishments, and itscafé culture is internationally recognised, being known for its large number of coffeehouses.[179][180] Wellington restaurants offer cuisines including from Europe, Asia and Polynesia; for dishes that have a distinctlyNew Zealand style, there are lamb, beef, pork and venison, salmon, crayfish (lobster),Bluff oysters,pāua (abalone),mussels,scallops,pipis andtuatua (both New Zealand shellfish); kūmara (sweet potato);kiwifruit andtamarillo; andpavlova, the national dessert.[181]
The first local government for the city was the Wellington Borough Council, which was established in 1842 but dissolved 18 months later. In 1863 theWellington Provincial Council formed the Wellington Town Board. The Wellington Town Board was overseen by commissioners that had the power to levy rates, manage water supply, organise road layout, and was responsible for fire prevention.[119]
Wellington offers a variety of college and university programs fortertiary students:
Victoria University'sKelburn campus, one of four in Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington has four campuses and works with a three-trimester system (beginning March, July, and November).[183] It enrolled 21,380 students in 2008; of these, 16,609 were full-time students. Of all students, 56% were female and 44% male. While the student body was primarily New Zealanders of European descent, 1,713 were Māori, 1,024 were Pacific students, 2,765 were international students. 5,751 degrees, diplomas and certificates were awarded. The university has 1,930 full-time employees.[184]
Massey University has a Wellington campus known as the "creative campus" and offers courses in communication and business, engineering and technology, health and well-being, and creative arts. Its school of design was established in 1886 and has research centres for studying public health, sleep, Māori health, small & medium enterprises, disasters, and tertiary teaching excellence.[185] It combined with Victoria University to create theNew Zealand School of Music.[185]
TheUniversity of Otago has a Wellington branch, with its Wellington School of Medicine and Health.
Commuting patterns in the Wellington region during 2006; darker red lines indicate greater traffic. Source: Statistics New Zealand.[186]
Wellington is served byState Highway 1 in the west andState Highway 2 in the east, meeting at theNgauranga Interchange north of the city centre, where SH 1 runs through the city to the airport. There are two other state highways in the wider region:State Highway 58 which provides a direct connection between the Hutt Valley and Porirua, andState Highway 59 which follows a coastal route between Linden and Mackays Crossing and was previously part of SH 1.[187][188] Road access into the capital is constrained by the mountainous terrain – between Wellington and the Kāpiti Coast, SH 1 passes through the steep and narrow Wainui Saddle, nearby SH 59 travels along the Centennial Highway, a narrow section of road between the Paekākāriki Escarpment and theTasman Sea, and between Wellington and Wairarapa SH 2 transverses theRimutaka Ranges on a similar narrow winding road. Wellington has two motorways: theJohnsonville–Porirua Motorway (largely part of SH 1, with the northernmost section part of SH 59) and theWellington Urban Motorway (entirely part of SH 1), which in combination with a small non-motorway section in the Ngauranga Gorge connect Porirua with Wellington city. A third motorway in the wider region, theTransmission Gully Motorway forming part of the SH 1 route and officially opened on 30 March 2022, leaves the Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway at the boundary between Wellington and Porirua and provides the main route between Wellington and the wider North Island.[189]
Bus transport in Wellington is supplied by several different operators under the banner of Metlink. Buses serve almost every part of Wellington city, with most of them running along the "Golden Mile" fromWellington railway station toCourtenay Place. Until October 2017, there were ninetrolleybus routes, all other buses running ondiesel. Thetrolleybus network was the last public system of its kind in theSouthern Hemisphere.[190]
Fourelectrifiedsuburban lines radiate from Wellington railway station to the outer suburbs to the north of Wellington – theJohnsonville Line through the hillside suburbs north of central Wellington; theKāpiti Line along the NIMT to Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast via Porirua and Paraparaumu; theMelling Line to Lower Hutt via Petone; and theHutt Valley Line along the Wairarapa Line via Waterloo andTaitā to Upper Hutt. A diesel-hauled carriage service, theWairarapa Connection, connects several times daily to Masterton in the Wairarapa via the 8.8-kilometre-long (5.5 mi)Rimutaka Tunnel. Combined, these five services carry 11.64 million passengers per year.[191]CentrePort Wellington is the operator of the port of Wellington, and provides infrastructure for shipping and cargo, including the commercialwharves in Wellington Harbour. It also provides port services for theCook Straitferries toPicton in theSouth Island, operated by state-ownedInterislander and privateBluebridge. Local ferries connect Wellington city centre with Eastbourne and Seatoun.[192]
Wellington Airport is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-east of the city centre. It is serviced by flights from across New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. Flights to other international destinations require a transfer at another airport, as aircraft range is limited by Wellington's short (2,081-metre or 6,827-foot)runway, which has become an issue in recent years regarding the Wellington region's economic performance.[193][194]
Cycling in Wellington has been increasing in popularity as a mode of transport. Mode share has increased from 2% in the early 2000s to over 4% in 2013.[195] During the 2020s, a network of cycling infrastructure has been deployed across the city.[196]
Wellington's first public electricity supply was established in 1904, alongside the introduction of electric trams, and was originally supplied at 105 volts 80 hertz. The conversion to the now-standard 230/400 volts 50 hertz began in 1925, the same year the city was connected to theMangahao hydroelectric scheme. Between 1924 and 1968, the city's supply was supplemented by a coal-fired power station at Evans Bay.[197]
Today, Wellington city is supplied from fourTranspower substations: Takapu Road, Kaiwharawhara, Wilton, and Central Park (Mount Cook).Wellington Electricity owns and operates the local distribution network.
The city is home to two large wind farms,West Wind andMill Creek, which combined contribute up to 213 MW of electricity to the city and the national grid.
While Wellington experiences regular strong winds, and only 63% of Wellington Electricity's network is underground, the city has a very reliable power supply. In the year to March 2018, Wellington Electricity disclosed the average customer spent just 55 minutes without power due to unplanned outages.[198]
Wellington was one of the original nine towns and cities in New Zealand to be supplied with natural gas when theKapuni gas field in South Taranaki entered production in 1970, and a 260-kilometre-long (160 mi) high-pressure pipeline from the field to the city was completed. The high-pressure transmission pipelines supplying Wellington are now owned and operated byFirst Gas, withPowerco owning and operating the medium- and low-pressure distribution pipelines within the urban area.[199]
Porirua (serving northern Wellington suburbs, Tawa and Porirua city)
The Wellington metropolitan area faces challenges with ageing infrastructure for the three waters, and there have been some significant failures, particularly in wastewater systems. The water supply is vulnerable to severe disruption during a major earthquake, although a wide range of projects are planned to improve the resilience of the water supply and allow a limited water supply post-earthquake.[204][205]
In May 2021, the Wellington City Council approved a 10-year plan that included expenditure of $2.7billion on water pipe maintenance and upgrades in Wellington city, and an additional $147 to $208 million for plant upgrades at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant.[206] In November 2023, Wellington Water noted that on-going investment of $1 billion per annum was required to address water issues across the Greater Wellington region, but that this amount was beyond the funding capacity of councils.[207]
For many years Wellington had two daily newspapers –The Evening Post in the afternoon andThe Dominion in the morning.The Evening Post was founded in 1865 by Dublin-born printer, newspaper manager and leader-writerHenry Blundell,[208] whileThe Dominion was first published on 26 September 1907, the day New Zealand achievedDominion status.[209] The two newspapers merged in 2002 to formThe Dominion Post[210] and in April 2023 the merged newspaper was renamedThe Post.[211]
The Wellington radio market is the third-largest in New Zealand, with 392,500 listeners aged 10 and over. The largest commercial stations by share as of May 2025 areNewstalk ZB (16.3%),The Breeze (13.6%),ZM andThe Rock (8.3% each), andMai FM (6.0%).[212]
Television broadcasts began in Wellington on 1 July 1961 with the launch of channel WNTV1, becoming the third New Zealand city (after Auckland and Christchurch) to receive regular television broadcasts. WNTV1's main studios were in Waring Taylor Street in central Wellington and broadcast from a transmitter atop Mount Victoria. In 1967, the Mount Victoria transmitter was replaced with a more powerful transmitter atMount Kaukau.[213] In November 1969, WNTV1 was networked with its counterpart stations in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin to form NZBC TV.
In 1975, the NZBC was broken up, with Wellington and Dunedin studios taking over NZBC TV asTelevision One while Auckland and Christchurch studios launchedTelevision Two. At the same time, the Wellington studios moved to the new purpose-builtAvalon Television Centre in Lower Hutt. In 1980, Televisions One and Two merged under a single company,Television New Zealand (TVNZ). The majority of television production moved to Auckland over the 1980s, culminating in the opening of TVNZ's new Auckland television centre in 1989.
Today, digital terrestrial television (Freeview) is available in the city, transmitting from Mount Kaukau plus three infill transmitters at Baxters Knob, Fitzherbert, and Haywards.[214]
Wellington is also a "friendly city" withRamallah, Palestine, and a 2023 council vote means both are expected to be sister cities in the future.[216][217] Wellington also has historical ties withChania, Greece;Harrogate, England; andÇanakkale, Turkey.[218]
The Wellington urban area (pink) is administered by four local authorities.Population density in Wellington region (2008) based on census data
The urban areas of the four local authorities have a combined population of 426,000 residents as of June 2024.[10]
The four cities comprising the Wellington metropolitan area have a total population of 432,600 (June 2024),[10] with the urban area containing 98.5% of that population. The remaining areas are largely mountainous and sparsely farmed or parkland and are outside the urban area boundary. More than most cities, life is dominated by its central business district (CBD). Approximately 62,000 people work in the CBD, only 4,000 fewer than work in Auckland's CBD, despite that city having four times the population.
TheWaikanae-Paraparaumu-Paekākāriki combined urban area in the Kāpiti Coast district is sometimes included in the Wellington metro area[by whom?] due to its exurban nature and strong transport links with Wellington. If included as part of the Wellington metro, Waikanae-Paraparaumu-Paekākāriki would add 44,930 to the population (as of June 2024).[10]
Featherston andGreytown in the Wairarapa are rarely considered part of the Wellington metropolitan area, being physically separated from the rest of the metropolitan area by theRemutaka Range. However, both have significant proportions of their employed population working in Wellington city and the Hutt Valley (36.1% and 17.1% in 2006 respectively)[220] and are considered part of the Wellington functional urban area by Statistics New Zealand.[221]
The four urban areas combined had a usual resident population of 401,850 at the2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 26,307 people (7.0%) since the2013 census, and an increase of 42,726 people (11.9%) since the2006 census. There were 196,911 males and 204,936 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.961 males per female. Of the total population, 74,892 people (18.6%) were aged up to 15 years, 93,966 (23.4%) were 15 to 29, 185,052 (46.1%) were 30 to 64, and 47,952 (11.9%) were 65 or older.[222]
^WhetherChristchurch or Wellington is New Zealand's second-largest city by population is debatable and depends on where the boundaries are drawn.[15] UsingStatistics New Zealand boundaries, Wellington is the third-largest urban area (400,600 vs 208,800),[10] territorial authority area (412,000 vs 209,900)[10] and functional urban area (470,814 vs 414,033).[16]
^abcdeWaitangi Tribunal (2003).Te Whanganui a Tara me ona takiwa : report on the Wellington District. Wellington, N.Z.: Legislation Direct.ISBN186956264X.OCLC53261192.
^abSchrader, Ben (26 March 2015) [11 March 2010]."City planning – Early settlement planning".Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved23 September 2023.Wellington's plan was designed by New Zealand Company surveyor William Mein Smith in 1840. It comprised a series of interconnected grids which expanded along the town's valleys and up the lower slopes of hills.
^"[untitled]".Maori Messenger: Te Karere Maori. p. 8 – via Papers Past.Tenei pea kua ronga nga tangata maori i te kokotinga o te ringaringa o Tako i Poneke, kahore ra nei.
^Waitangi Tribunal (2003).Te Whanganui a Tara me ona takiwa : report on the Wellington District. Wellington, N.Z.: Legislation Direct. p. 13.ISBN186956264X.OCLC53261192.
^Easther, John (1991).The Hutt River = Te-Awa-kai-rangi : a modern history, 1840–1990. Wellington [N.Z.]: Wellington Regional Council. pp. 24–29.ISBN0-909016-09-7.OCLC34915088.
^Mew, G.; Humphris, Adrian (2014).Raupo to Deco: Wellington Styles and Architects, 1840–1940. Steele Roberts Aotearoa. p. 32.ISBN978-1-927242-56-8.
^Bloomfield, Gerald Taylor (1973).The Evolution of Local Government Areas in Metropolitan Auckland, 1840–1971. Auckland: [Auckland] : Auckland University Press. p. 10.ISBN0-19-647714-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^Bloomfield, Gerald Taylor (1973).The Evolution of Local Government Areas in Metropolitan Auckland, 1840–1971. Auckland: [Auckland] : Auckland University Press. p. 14.ISBN0-19-647714-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^Harper, Laura; Mudd, Tony; Whitfield, Paul (2002).New Zealand. Rough Guide Travel Guides. Rough Guides. p. 504.ISBN9781858288963.Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved9 August 2016.Highlights include the sweeping views from the lookout at the Mount Victoria summit (196m) and from Mount Albert (178m) [...].
^Wise's New Zealand Index. H. Wise & Co. (N.Z.) Ltd. 1948. p. 245.Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved9 August 2016.Mount Alfred. West of Evans Bay, Wellington; 400ft.
^Kaino, Lorna (2005). "What Difference Does a Museum Make? TE Papa's Contribution to the New Zealand Economy".Media International Australia Incorporating Culture and Policy.117 (1):31–42.doi:10.1177/1329878X0511700105.S2CID142242025.
^"Wellington: Film capital of New Zealand".100% Pure New Zealand.Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved23 September 2018.Park Road Production A premier post-production facility created by filmmakers for filmmakers, Park Road is home to a huge number of resources to help filmmakers concentrate on the creative process. Only taking on a few projects every year, Park Road has worked on blockbusters like The Adventures of Tintin, District 9, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Last Samurai. Stone Street Studios Offering a range of production facilities including two massive purpose-built sound stages, a wet stage and four adapter warehouse stages, Stone Street Studios is another world-class resource for filmmakers.
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