Here are some fast facts and other resources on Wellington:
AREA. Wellington City has an area of 26,625 hectares.
POPULATION. According to the 2001 census, the city has a population of 163,824, the region 423,765.
MAORI LEGEND. The earliest name for Wellington from Maori legend is Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui, which means the head of Maui's fish. Caught and pulled to the surface by Polynesian navigator Maui, the fish became New Zealand's North Island.
VISITOR CENTRE. The Central Wellington Visitor Information Centre is at 101 Wakefield St in Civic Square. There is an information centre at the airport also.
DISTANCES. Wellington is 660 kilometres south of Auckland and should take about 8 hours by road. From Christchurch, Picton is 350 kilometres north, with a drive time of 4 hours 40 minutes. The ferry from Picton to Wellington should take about 3 hours 20 minutes.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS. There are direct flights to Wellington from Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and other major cities and towns.
ACCOMMODATION. WellingtonNZ.com has information on the types of accommodation available. Check out the WellingtonNZ.com map of Wellington showing accommodation venues.
ACTIVITIES. Check out the WellingtonNZ.com site.
COOK STRAIT separates Wellington from the South Island.
HIRE CARS. If coming from the South Island, some car rental companies allow you to leave your vehicle at Picton (before taking the ferry to Wellington) and drive another car on the North Island. A similar arrangement is possible if leaving Wellington for the South Island. Check with your car rental company.
BUS TOURS. A variety of bus tours are available in Wellington to explore the city and the surrounding regions. Get information from the Visitor Centre.
TEMPERATURE. Average summer maximum temperature: 20.3 degrees C. Average winter minimum temperature: 5.9 degrees C.
SUN AND RAIN. Average annual sunshine: 2035 hours. Average annual rainfall: 1249mm.
