Oceania · capital city
What Is the Capital of New Zealand?
Wellington
The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. About 422,000 people live in the Wellington urban area — 7.9% of the country's population.
422,000
Urban area population
UTC+12
Time zone (+ daylight saving)
41.30°S
Latitude · 174.78°E
No
Largest city: Auckland
Wellington at a glance
Name origin
Named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island.
Time zone
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April.
Coordinates
41 18 S, 174 47 E · IANA time zone Pacific/Auckland
Location of New Zealand
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Largest cities in New Zealand
1
Auckland
1.7 million2
Wellington Capital
422,000Urban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals closest to Wellington
Kingston, Norfolk Island — 1,495 km
Noumea, New Caledonia — 2,255 km
Canberra, Australia — 2,327 km
Nuku'alofa, Tonga — 2,432 km
Suva, Fiji — 2,599 km
Port-Vila, Vanuatu — 2,692 km
Alofi, Niue — 2,871 km
Avarua, Cook Islands — 3,270 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Wellington
What is the capital of New Zealand?
The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. About 422,000 people live in the Wellington urban area — 7.9% of the country's population.
Is Wellington the largest city in New Zealand?
No. The largest urban area is Auckland (1.7 million), while Wellington has about 422,000.
What time zone is Wellington in?
Wellington is on UTC+12 — UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April.
Where does the name Wellington come from?
Named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).