Wellington (Region)

The Wellington region (English and Greater Wellington ) is located at the southern tip of the North Island of New Zealand. Its capital Wellington is also the state capital throughout New Zealand.

Geography

The region includes the entire south-eastern tip of New Zealand's North Island, although in everyday language with the " Wellington Region " or " Greater Wellington " usually only the four city districts Wellington City, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt are meant.

The Wellington region is bordered to the north by the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. In the other directions it is surrounded by water. To the west is the Tasman Sea in the east and the Pacific Ocean, specifically the South Pacific. In the south, eventually these two water masses meet. This waterway between the North and the South Island is called the Cook Strait. This is at the narrowest point, namely between Cape Terawhiti on the North Island and Arapawa Iceland in the Marlborough Sounds on the South Island, only about 25 km wide. Due to their relatively unprotected location from west to east, it is in the region often very windy.

The region can be divided into four geographical areas, all of which run more or less parallel to northeast-southwest direction:

  • The first and most westerly of these four areas is the coastal strip, which mostly located in the Kapiti Coast District. This area is a major tourist center, where there are a number of houses, which is mainly due to the proximity to the four major cities and the wide, sandy beaches.
  • To the east, a rough hill country, in the same geological fault, caused by the Southern Alps. Overall, one can say that the mountainous country is not very densely populated around the Tararua and Rimutaka Range, which until about 1500 m in part extend in height, although in the southwest part of this area the cities Wellington and the Hutt Valley cities Upper and Lower Hutt are.
  • Again, go east about one a only slightly hilly area around the Ruamahanga River joins that is almost perfectly flat in the south and there includes the wetlands of Lake Wairarapa. There farming is done on fertile land often.
  • The easternmost geographical strip is again very mountainous, though not as extreme as the Tararua Ranges or the Rumutaka. This area is economically not very developed. There are (still) extensive forest areas in both mountainous regions.

Population

About 75 % of the 445 400 inhabitants ( 2002) live in one of four cities in the Southwest region. More densely populated areas are Kapiti Coast and the fertile plains of the Ruamahanga River.

Some villages are located on the Kapiti Coast with populations 2000-10000 relatively close to each other, are examples of Otaki, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Raumati, Paekakariki Pukerua Bay or.

In addition to the above settlements, all located in the west of the region, Masterton is the only major city in the level of Ruamahanga River. Other small towns there are Featherston, Martinborough, Carterton and Greytown.

Administrative divisions

The region is divided into four City Council and four District Councils:

Biggest Towns

Arapawa Island Kapiti Island Otaki, New Zealand Featherston, New Zealand Greytown, New Zealand Carterton, New Zealand Northland region Auckland Council Bay of Plenty (Region) Gisborne, New Zealand Marlborough Region Nelson, New Zealand Chatham Islands
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