Overview
Wellington is New Zealand's centre of government and the world's southernmost capital city. It is also New Zealand's cultural capital.
The city is home to many museums, theatres and arts festivals, including Te Papa Tongarewa (the Museum of New Zealand), the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and the biennial Festival of the Arts.
Wellington is also a leading centre for creative industries, such as film and computer technology, and it is the home of the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX).
The city is situated alongside Wellington Harbour and surrounded by natural beauty. From the central business district, it is only a quick drive to find stunning countryside and rugged coastlines.
Area
| Wellington city: | 28,990 hectares |
| Wellington region: | 813,005 hectares |
Nearly all Wellington residents live within three kilometres of the coastline, and the city has 102 parks and playgrounds.
As a region Wellington has a diverse range of landscapes including 50,000 hectares of regional parks and forests.
Population
As of 30 June 2009, the current population of Wellington city was estimated to be 195,500.
About 480,000 people live in the Wellington region.
| 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington city | 148,440 | 157,646 | 163,824 | 179,466 |
| Numeric change (over 5 years) | 729 | 9,206 | 6,178 | 15,642 |
| Percentage change (over 5 years) | 0.5% | 6.2% | 3.9% | 9.5% |
| New Zealand | 3,373,927 | 3,618,302 | 3,737,277 | 4,027,947 |
| Numeric change (over 5 years) | 110,643 | 244,375 | 118,975 | 290,670 |
| Percentage change (over 5 years) | 3.4% | 7.2% | 3.2% | 7.8% |
Wellington city's population accounts for 4.45% of the New Zealand population and is expected to see steady growth over the next decade.
The Wellington region contains 11.1% of New Zealand's population.
Climate
| Warmest month: | February (17°C average) |
| Coldest month: | July (8.7°C average) |
| Average daily maximum for mid-summer: | 20.3°C |
| Average daily minimum for mid-winter: | 5.9°C |
| Average annual sunshine: | 2025 hours |
| Average annual rainfall: | 1270mm |
Wellington has more sunshine hours than London and less rainfall than Auckland.
Economy
(September 09 quarter)
| Regional average hourly earnings: | $28.25* |
| Average dwelling value: | $512,000** |
* Source: Statistics New Zealand
** Source: Quotable Value Limited
Public Holidays
| New Year's Day: | 1 January |
| Day after New Year's Day: | 2 January |
| Wellington Anniversary Day: | Closest Monday to 22 January each year |
| Waitangi Day: | 6 February |
| Good Friday: | Varies |
| Easter Monday: | Varies |
| ANZAC Day: | 25 April |
| Queen's Birthday: | 1st Monday in June |
| Labour Day: | 4th Monday in October |
| Christmas Day: | 25 December |
| Boxing Day: | 26 December |
Related Links
- Quality of Life 2008 Survey (2.96Mb PDF)
- Quality of Life 2007 Survey (3.01Mb PDF) | Text version (2.56Mb HTML)
- Quality of Life 2006 Survey (8.01Mb PDF) | Text version (2.14Mb HTML)
- Quality of Life website
- Wellington Region Census 2006 - Statistics New Zealand website
Department Details:
Planning, Performance and Research
