About Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, has so much to offer. Set on the edge of a stunning harbour and surrounded by rolling hills, it's a city waiting to be explored. Find out a bit about Wellington before you arrive. Here you'll find some interesting facts and figures and information about the history of the city we love.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, situated at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington Urban Area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and ranks as New Zealand's third most populous urban area with 381,900 residents. There are 473,700 residents in the Wellington Region (June 2008 estimates).

Wellington's suburbs lie across four cities. Wellington City, on the peninsula between Cook Strait and Wellington Harbour, contains the central business district and about half of Wellington's population. Porirua is situated on Porirua Harbour to the north and is notable for its large Māori and Pacific Island communities. Lower Hutt City and Upper Hutt City are suburban areas to the northeast, together known as the Hutt Valley. Although each of the four cities also contains a rural hinterland, almost all of the population is within the urban area.

Wellington's average temperatures during the month of December are 18.5C (high) and 12.2C (low), which are both around 3C above the yearly average.

Helpful information

Currency, Banking and Travellers Cheques 
New Zealand's currency is based on dollars ($) and cents (c). There are five notes ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100) and five coins (10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2). Trading bank hours are 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Most banks are not open Saturday, Sunday or public holidays. Currency exchange facilities are available at the International Airports - hours of trading link with arrival and departure times. Travellers cheques can be changed at banks, bureaux de change, hotels and trading establishments in cities and towns.

Medical and Emergency Services
All emergency services can be contacted throughout New Zealand by dialling 111. New Zealand's medical and hospital services are both public and private. Medical services are not free to visitors (except as a result of an accident). It is strongly recommended that visitors purchase health insurance.

Driving
Reciprocal driving rights exist between New Zealand and most other countries. Most rental car companies will ask for an International Driver’s Licence. The driver will need to be 21 years of age. Driving in New Zealand is on the left hand side of the road. The majority of roads are one lane wide in each direction and sealed.

Language
English is the common language of New Zealanders with indigenous Maori the second official language. Japanese, Korean, and major European languages are also spoken in some restaurants, hotels, visitor centres and by tour guides. In New Zealand translators are available for most languages.

Water
All New Zealand cities and towns have excellent public water supplies; tap (faucet) water is fresh and safe to drink.

Connectivity
Wellington has a pervasive wi-fi network, providing near complete wireless coverage of the city’s CBD along with hotspots in many non-CBD areas. Wellington International Airport also offers free wi-fi in the main area.