Wellington (region)
The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island and includes:
- The cities of Wellington, Lower Hutt, Porirua, and Upper Hutt (each of which contains a not insignificant rural portion)
- The coastal settlements and rural hinterland of the Kapiti Coast District, which includes the southern fringe of the area commonly spoken of as "the Manawatu"
- Three largely rural districts east of the Rimutaka Range, containing most of the area commonly spoken of as "the Wairarapa", with chief town Masterton
Local government
The Wellington Regional Council (a regional authority) administers the region. It has adopted the trading name "Greater Wellington" (see below).
- In New Zealand, regional councils are primarily responsible for: public transport; coastal marine area, water supply, and river catchment management; biosecurity; and environmental regulation. Territorial (city or district) councils are responsible for resource management (urban planning), urban and some rural services, and community development. All are funded substantially from property rates (land taxes), usually collected in the territories.
"Greater Wellington" and other area distinctions
The historical Wellington Province extended further, as does the Wellington Land District used as the basis of property ownership descriptions.
The four cities are often combined into a "greater Wellington" urban area. They also form the MetService weather-forecast district called "Wellington", separate from "Kapiti Coast" and "Wairarapa".
