Eke Panuku, Eke Tangaroa: Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand, and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region. It is the world's southernmost capital of a sovereign state. Wellington features a temperate maritime climate, and is the world's windiest city by average wind speed. Metro Wellington has a population of 433,900 as of June 2025, including the integral cities of Lower Hutt, Porirua and Upper Hutt. The city has served as New Zealand's capital since 1865, a status that is not defined in legislation, but established by convention; the New Zealand Government and Parliament, the Supreme Court and most of the public services are based in the city.