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100-649: The North Island Volcanic Plateau (often called the Central Plateau and occasionally the Waimarino Plateau ) is a volcanic plateau covering much of central North Island of New Zealand with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes. It contains the Taupō caldera complex , Ōkataina caldera complex and Tongariro Volcanic Centre resulting in it being currently the most frequently active and productive area of silicic volcanism on Earth. New Zealand

200-407: A decision made by the insurer. Two of the buildings demolished were about eleven years old – the seven-storey NZDF headquarters and Statistics House at Centreport on the waterfront. The docks were closed for several weeks after the earthquake. Steep landforms shape and constrain much of Wellington city. Notable hills in and around Wellington include: Averaging 2,055 hours of sunshine per year,

300-631: A large scale during the Great Depression . After World War II scientists from Norway settled in the region and helped develop ways of treating the soft pine to prevent rotting using pressure treatment with chemicals. They also introduced selective breeding methods which was the standard way of improving the trees until tissue culture was introduced in the 1990s. Trees take 25–30 years to reach full height. Most plantations use growth factor (GF) trees to guarantee very high quality (straight and knot-free) timber, however treatment by chemical salts

400-496: A lava plateau may be part of a single volcano. An example is the massive Level Mountain shield volcano in northern British Columbia , Canada , which covers an area of 1,800 km (690 sq mi) and a volume of 860 km (210 cu mi). Perhaps the most extensive of all the subaerial basaltic plateaus existed during the Paleogene and possibly extended over 1,800,000 km (690,000 sq mi) of

500-678: A magnitude 7 quake, but as it happens slowly, there is no damage. During July and August 2013 there were many earthquakes, mostly in Cook Strait near Seddon. The sequence started at 5:09 pm on Sunday 21 July 2013 when the magnitude 6.5 Seddon earthquake hit the city, but no tsunami report was confirmed nor any major damage. At 2:31 pm on Friday 16 August 2013 the Lake Grassmere earthquake struck, this time magnitude 6.6, but again no major damage occurred, though many buildings were evacuated. On Monday 20 January 2014 at 3:52 pm

600-504: A major fault, the Wellington Fault , running through the centre of the city and several others nearby. Several hundred minor faults lines have been identified within the urban area. Inhabitants, particularly in high-rise buildings, typically notice several earthquakes every year. For many years after the 1855 earthquake, the majority of buildings were made entirely from wood. The 1996-restored Government Buildings near Parliament

700-658: A major threat to natural habitats there. One block of lowland forest remains in and around Whanganui National Park and large areas of the uplands are protected either by Maori tradition or in national parks of which Te Urewera is the largest. The four North Island national parks, which surround the plateau, are Te Urewera, Whanganui, Egmont and New Zealand's first national park, the World Heritage listed Tongariro National Park . Introduced species and livestock grazing are now major threats to some endemic species. Rats, cats and stoats prey on native reptiles and birds (including

800-400: A population density of 1,900 people per km . The urban area had a population of 201,708 in the 2023 New Zealand census , a decrease of 84 people (−0.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 11,595 people (6.1%) since the 2013 census . There were 97,143 males, 101,898 females and 2,667 people of other genders in 77,472 dwellings. 9.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age

900-569: A population density of 743 people per km . This comprises 214,200 people in the Wellington urban area and 1,100 people in the surrounding rural areas. Wellington City had a population of 202,689 in the 2023 New Zealand census , a decrease of 48 people (−0.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 11,733 people (6.1%) since the 2013 census . There were 97,641 males, 102,372 females and 2,673 people of other genders in 77,835 dwellings. 9.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age

1000-545: A population of 214,200 as of June 2024. The wider Wellington metropolitan area , including the cities of Lower Hutt , Porirua and Upper Hutt , has a population of 440,700 as of June 2024. 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

1100-411: A rolling 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the lower North Island 15 km east of Eketāhuna and was felt in Wellington, but little damage was reported initially, except at Wellington Airport where one of the two giant eagle sculptures commemorating The Hobbit became detached from the ceiling. At two minutes after midnight on Monday 14 November 2016, the 7.8 magnitude Kaikōura earthquake , which

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1200-650: A rough air strip. Hunting range in the bush is often 50 m or less but in the open tops the range can be much further. The area to the south, around Lake Moawhango is richer in plant life. Finally there are areas of beech forest and alpine vegetation at higher elevations throughout the region. The northern side of the plateau especially is home to wildlife including birds such as the North Island kōkako wattlebird (Callaeas wilsoni) , New Zealand kaka , and large populations of brown kiwi (Apteryx australis) and blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) . The area to

1300-562: A similar issue in cattle in Australia. However the application of cobalt at the rate of 30cc per ha was only possible after World War II making use of war surplus planes and ex WW2 pilots for aerial topdressing . The cobalt was mixed with crushed phosphate rock which was obtained cheaply from Nauru Island in the West Pacific. The resulting mix was called Super Phosphate. The largest farm - as measured by effective area farmed - in

1400-578: A time when New Zealand's population was 1.6 million. Wellington is at the south-western tip of the North Island on Cook Strait , separating the North and South Islands. On a clear day, the snowcapped Kaikōura Ranges are visible to the south across the strait. To the north stretch the golden beaches of the Kāpiti Coast . On the east, the Remutaka Range divides Wellington from the broad plains of

1500-512: A time) on the flat area at the mouth of the Hutt River . Within months that area proved swampy and flood-prone, and most of the newcomers transplanted their settlement across Wellington Harbour to Thorndon in the present-day site of Wellington city. Wellington was declared a city in 1840, and was chosen to be the capital city of New Zealand in 1865 . Wellington became the capital city in place of Auckland , which William Hobson had made

1600-628: A wide area to the north and northeast of the North Island. About 30 km (7.2 cu mi) of material was ejected in the space of a few minutes, in what is thought to be New Zealand's largest eruption in last 20,000 years, but the entire eruption sequence ejected over 120 km (29 cu mi) in a little longer period which might have lasted several years. As is typical after such degassing events which are separated in considerable time, dome building by effusive eruption of low gas viscous rhyolite magma then occurred resulting in this case

1700-456: Is about 1280. Wellington and its environs have been occupied by various Māori groups from the 12th century. The legendary Polynesian explorer Kupe, a chief from Hawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused with Hawaii ), was said to have stayed in the harbour from c.  925 . A later Māori explorer, Whatonga, named the harbour Te Whanganui-a-Tara after his son Tara. Before

1800-476: Is an economic mainstay of the region with a wide range of largely outdoor attractions from trout fishing , flyfishing on Tongariro River or harling on Lake Taupō, tramping , Mountain biking centred on National Park, deer or pig hunting, horse riding to snowskiing/boarding on Mt Ruapehu. The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand is located on the site of an old Italian tunneling construction camp. Started by mountaineer Graeme Dingle in

1900-674: Is at Tokoroa. The tangata whenua are the Ngāti Tūwharetoa . Their paramount chief is Sir Tumu te Heuheu . They moved into this area after splitting away from the Arawa tribe on the east coast. The boundary between Arawa and Tuwharetoa is a small island 400 metres north of Huka Falls on the Waikato River . Their main marae is on the southern shores of Lake Taupō at Waihi near the Tokaanu geothermal area. They still retain ownership of

2000-614: Is available between its harbour and the surrounding hills. It has very few open areas in which to expand, and this has brought about the development of the suburban towns. Because of its location in the Roaring Forties and its exposure to the winds blowing through Cook Strait , Wellington is the world's windiest city, with an average wind speed of 27 km/h (17 mph). Wellington's scenic natural harbour and green hillsides adorned with tiered suburbs of colonial villas are popular with tourists. The central business district (CBD)

2100-687: Is chiefly served by Wellington International Airport in Rongotai , the country's third-busiest airport . Wellington's transport network includes train and bus lines which reach as far as the Kāpiti Coast and the Wairarapa , and ferries connect the city to the South Island . Often referred to as New Zealand's cultural capital, the culture of Wellington is a diverse and often youth-driven one which has wielded influence across Oceania . One of

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2200-501: Is close to Lambton Harbour, an arm of Wellington Harbour , which lies along an active geological fault , clearly evident on its straight western shore. The land to the west of this rises abruptly, meaning that many suburbs sit high above the centre of the city. There is a network of bush walks and reserves maintained by the Wellington City Council and local volunteers. These include Otari-Wilton's Bush , dedicated to

2300-431: Is not included in the power scheme due to its importance as a breeding area for brown and rainbow trout. The extra water boosted the amount of water available to the 10 other HEP stations on the Waikato River which flows from the north end of the lake and is its only exit. The productivity of pasture on the plateau was greatly improved in the 1950s once it was realised that the " bush sickness " suffered by local livestock

2400-466: Is notorious for its southerly blasts in winter, which may make the temperature feel much colder. It is generally very windy all year round with high rainfall; average annual rainfall is 1,250 mm (49 in), June and July being the wettest months. Frosts are quite common in the hill suburbs and the Hutt Valley between May and September. Snow is very rare at low altitudes, although snow fell on

2500-401: Is now part of the central business district. For this reason, the street named Lambton Quay is 100 to 200 metres (325 to 650 ft) from the harbour – plaques set into the footpath mark the shoreline in 1840 , indicating the extent of reclamation. The 1942 Wairarapa earthquakes caused considerable damage in Wellington. The area has high seismic activity even by New Zealand standards, with

2600-629: Is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire . The plateau is approximately 60 km (37 mi) east–west and the north–south distance is about 125 km (78 mi). Extensive ignimbrite sheets spread east and west from the Central Taupō Volcanic Zone , centred on the huge active supervolcanic caldera of Lake Taupō , now the largest lake in New Zealand. This last erupted less than 2000 years ago. The volcanic area includes

2700-445: Is rich in silicon , potassium , and sodium . It is the gas -rich material ejected from the ground at high speed in an explosive caldera-forming event, creating a giant white hot fountain up to 55 kilometres high. When the ignimbrite falls it flows outwards at high speed (600–900 km/h) and can travel many kilometres, even going up and over hills and mountains before it cools, often trapping air inside. Especially around Lake Taupō

2800-484: Is still required to stop rotting. This is done by either dipping or more usually, pressure treatment. New Zealand has pioneered the use of Radiata timber and plywood in small craft boatbuilding. Untreated clear timber or plywood is used that is then encapsulated in epoxy resin after construction. The key reason is the low cost of the wood rather than any inherent properties of the wood which is of moderate weight but fractures easily when bent, when dried to 12% moisture. One of

2900-471: Is the largest wooden building in the Southern Hemisphere. While masonry and structural steel have subsequently been used in building construction, especially for office buildings, timber framing remains the primary structural component of almost all residential construction. Residents place their confidence in good building regulations , which became more stringent in the 20th century. Since

3000-523: Is typical of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre whose landforms are defined by the intermediate properties of its andesite magma , having a moderate amount of silica , making it more viscous than basalt , but much less viscous than rhyolite . Andesite magma in effusive eruptions cools to form dark grey lava if gas-poor or scoria if gas-rich. The explosive eruptions tend to be small or moderate sized phreatomagmatic eruptions where

3100-528: Is visible from the approach road to Whakapapa ski field. On Christmas Eve 1953 a sudden lahar at night on Mt Ruapehu knocked out the rail bridge at Tangiwai , causing six carriages of the Wellington - Auckland express to plunge into the Whangaehu River , killing 151 people in New Zealand's worst railway disaster. The percentage of silica is the deciding factor in the thickness or viscosity of

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3200-645: The Asia-Pacific region, being ranked 46th in the world by the Global Financial Centres Index for 2024. The global city has grown from a bustling Māori settlement, to a colonial outpost, and from there to an Australasian capital that has experienced a "remarkable creative resurgence". Wellington takes its name from Arthur Wellesley , the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo (1815): his title comes from

3300-665: The Chatham Islands . The Waitangi Tribunal has found that at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tama, and Ngāti Toa held mana whenua interests in the area, through conquest and occupation. Steps towards European settlement in the area began in 1839, when Colonel William Wakefield arrived to purchase land for the New Zealand Company to sell to prospective British settlers. Prior to this time,

3400-681: The Kaingaroa Forest or by working on the extensive hydro electric power system. The Māori population during the Archaic period was sparse. Only two moa hunter period sites have been discovered to date. The best known is the Whakamoenga cave near Taupō. The cave was in use about 600 years ago and three moa bones, obsidian flakes, hollow pumice stone ash holders, pumice floats, a fishing net, bird spears, pieces of hue (gourd) and bracken remains have been found. The other moa hunter site

3500-678: The Musket Wars led to them being overwhelmed by northern iwi such as Te Āti Awa by the early 19th century. Wellington's current form was originally designed by Captain William Mein Smith , the first Surveyor General for Edward Wakefield 's New Zealand Company , in 1840. Smith's plan included a series of interconnected grid plans , expanding along valleys and lower hill slopes. The Wellington urban area , which only includes urbanised areas within Wellington City, has

3600-698: The National Archives , the National Library , New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa and numerous theatres. It plays host to many artistic and cultural organisations, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet . Its architectural attractions include the Old Government Buildings – one of the largest wooden buildings in the world – as well as the iconic Beehive ,

3700-628: The Shirasu-Daichi , which makes up almost all of southern Kyūshū , Japan , and the North Island Volcanic Plateau in New Zealand . Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand . It is located at the south-western 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

3800-462: The Wairarapa , a wine region of national notability. With a latitude of 41° 17' South, Wellington is the southernmost capital city in the world . Wellington ties with Canberra , Australia, as the most remote capital city, 2,326 km (1,445 mi) apart from each other. Wellington is more densely populated than most other cities in New Zealand due to the restricted amount of land that

3900-529: The Wairarapa Fault to the north and east of Wellington. It was probably the most powerful earthquake in recorded New Zealand history, with an estimated magnitude of at least 8.2 on the Moment magnitude scale . It caused vertical movements of two to three metres over a large area, including raising land out of the harbour and turning it into a tidal swamp. Much of this land was subsequently reclaimed and

4000-472: 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 . Māori oral tradition tells that Kupe discovered and explored the region in about the 10th century. The area was initially settled by Māori iwi such as Rangitāne and Muaūpoko . The disruptions of

4100-413: The crater lake water is ejected from Ruapehu during an eruption, or snow melt is released by failure of the crater walls such as failure of an ice dam. separate from an eruptive event. In the case of lahars, they run down the mountain, picking up ash , lapilli , blocks and bombs as well as previously eroded rock, forming a thick, dense mud that is capable of picking up car-sized rocks. An old lahar flow

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4200-416: The world's most liveable cities , the 2021 Global Livability Ranking tied Wellington with Tokyo as fourth in the world. From 2017 to 2018, Deutsche Bank ranked it first in the world for both livability and non-pollution. Cultural precincts such as Cuba Street and Newtown are renowned for creative innovation, " op shops ", historic character, and food . Wellington is a leading financial centre in

4300-632: The 1820s, most of the inhabitants of the Wellington region were Whatonga's descendants. At about 1820, the people living there were Ngāti Ira and other groups who traced their descent from the explorer Whatonga, including Rangitāne and Muaūpoko . However, these groups were eventually forced out of Te Whanganui-a-Tara by a series of migrations by other iwi (Māori tribes) from the north. The migrating groups were Ngāti Toa , which came from Kāwhia , Ngāti Rangatahi, from near Taumarunui , and Te Ātiawa , Ngāti Tama , Ngāti Mutunga , Taranaki and Ngāti Ruanui from Taranaki . Ngāti Mutunga later moved on to

4400-414: The 1970s, this centre offers valuable outdoor training experience and skills to secondary school groups and others. The Raurimu Spiral is a railway spiral traveling upwards 122 m (400 ft) in 1.6 km (0.99 mi), via tunnels and 180-degree hairpin bends so the passengers near the head of the train can see the rear carriages heading in the opposite direction. At the time of construction it

4500-568: The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 , earthquake readiness has become even more of an issue, with buildings declared by Wellington City Council to be earthquake-prone, and the costs of meeting new standards. Every five years, a year-long slow quake occurs beneath Wellington, stretching from Kapiti to the Marlborough Sounds . It was first measured in 2003, and reappeared in 2008 and 2013. It releases as much energy as

4600-508: The Mercer worldwide Cost of Living Survey. In 2019, Mercer ranked cities on personal safety, including internal stability, crime levels, law enforcement, limitations on personal freedom, relationships with other countries and freedom of the press. Wellington shared ninth place internationally with Auckland. In addition to governmental institutions, Wellington accommodates several of the nation's largest and oldest cultural institutions, such as

4700-635: The Māori inhabitants had had contact with Pākehā whalers and traders. European settlement began with the arrival of an advance party of the New Zealand Company on the ship Tory on 20 September 1839, followed by 150 settlers on the Aurora on 22 January 1840. Thus, the Wellington settlement preceded the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (on 6 February 1840). The 1840 settlers constructed their first homes at Petone (which they called Britannia for

4800-465: The North Island including 13,800 hectares of land with about 9,500 hectares of developed farm land was established off the Taupō-Napier road and is called Lochinver Station. The station was largely developed by construction millionaire Bill Stephenson and his family using heavy earthmoving equipment in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2015 it was sold to Rimanui Farms after a bid by Chinese interests was blocked by

4900-464: The Tarawera containing Okataina caldera complex as the highest risk volcanic field in New Zealand to man. The entire area of the plateau is above 300 metres, with a considerable proportion of it more than 800 metres above sea level. The plateau has a mild climate although the temperature regularly falls below freezing in winter and snow can fall between March and October. Of all North Island regions,

5000-717: The Volcanic Plateau is closest to having a continental climate . The period of maximum snow is July to September. Sudden blizzard conditions can be experienced on the volcanoes in winter. Such conditions have killed climbers as recently as 2019. The Desert Road on State Highway 1 is often closed by snow in winter for brief periods. The natural vegetation of the area includes the podocarp conifers including rimu ( Dacrydium cupressinum ) , miro ( Prumnopitys ferruginea ) , matai ( Prumnopitys taxifolia ) , totara ( Podocarpus totara ) and kahikatea ( Dacrycarpus dacrydioides ) and hardwoods that once covered this whole area before

5100-556: The barren, ash-laden soils and harsh alpine climate leave the high land largely bare and unprofitable, capable of growing only scrubby plants. This area is known as the Rangipo Desert although it is not a true desert as the annual rainfall is over 1,000mm PA and the real reason for the low and sparse vegetation was the mass sterilization of seeds caused by the 26,000-year-old Taupō eruption, which swept white-hot ignimbrite through this valley. Prior to this cataclysmic event this area

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5200-566: The building was empty. The capital city is also the location of the highest court, the Supreme Court of New Zealand , and the historic former High Court building (opened 1881) has been enlarged and restored for its use. The Governor-General's residence, Government House (the current building completed in 1910) is situated in Newtown , opposite the Basin Reserve . Premier House (built in 1843 for Wellington's first mayor, George Hunter ),

5300-656: The capital in 1841 . The New Zealand Parliament had first met in Wellington on 7 July 1862, on a temporary basis; in November 1863, the Prime Minister of New Zealand , Alfred Domett , placed a resolution before Parliament in Auckland that "... it has become necessary that the seat of government  ... should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Strait [region]." There had been some concerns that

5400-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 62,259 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,273 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,219 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 55,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 40,632 people (23.5%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

5500-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 62,484 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,657 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,339 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 55,500, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 40,872 people (23.6%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15

5600-651: The city and many other parts of the Wellington region during separate events on 25 July 2011 and 15 August 2011. Snow at higher altitudes is more common, with light flurries recorded in higher suburbs every few years. On 29 January 2019, the suburb of Kelburn (instruments near the old Metservice building in the Wellington Botanic Garden ) reached 30.3 °C (87 °F), the highest temperature since records began in 1927. Wellington City covers 289.91 km (111.93 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 215,300 as of June 2024, with

5700-421: The climate of Wellington is temperate marine , ( Köppen : Cfb , Trewartha : Cflk ), generally moderate all year round with mild summers and cool to mild winters, and rarely sees temperatures above 26 °C (79 °F) or below 4 °C (39 °F). The hottest recorded temperature in the city is 31.1 °C (88 °F) recorded on 20 February 1896 , while −1.9 °C (29 °F) is the coldest. The city

5800-559: The club provides hot food and drinks, a bonfire, as well as competitions, souvenirs, live bands and toilet facilities. The one-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing from the Mangatepopo Valley across Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro is named one of the greatest one-day walks in the world by the Department of Conservation. The 19.2 km track is well marked in summer and popular but trampers should be quite fit and well equipped as

5900-429: The eroded ignimbrite includes pieces of quickly cooled pumice , a lightweight rock that floats on water. The top, unwelded layer of the ignimbrite sheet is relatively soft and easily eroded by streams and rivers, which transport the pumice to the lake. The lower, welded layers of the ignimbrite sheets are more dense, though still porous. These lower compressed layers often show the glint of heated silicon specks. North of

6000-467: The eruption of Taupō and other volcanoes. To the west of the three large volcanoes, the land is rough forested hill country, while the north close to Lake Taupō is more fertile and undulating and much has been cleared for farming. The forest used to extend to the west coast and there are still patches of natural vegetation in wetlands including the Horowhenua floodplains. However to the south of Taupō

6100-657: The executive wing of Parliament Buildings as well as internationally renowned Futuna Chapel . The city's art scene includes many art galleries, including the national art collection at Toi Art at Te Papa. Wellington also has many events such as CubaDupa , Wellington On a Plate , the Newtown Festival , Diwali Festival of Lights and Gardens Magic at the Botanical Gardens. Wellington's urban area covers 112.71 km (43.52 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 214,200 as of June 2024, with

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6200-502: The first time on 26 July 1865. At that time, the population of Wellington was just 4,900. The Government Buildings were constructed at Lambton Quay in 1876. The site housed the original government departments in New Zealand . The public service rapidly expanded beyond the capacity of the building, with the first department leaving shortly after it was opened; by 1975 only the Education Department remained, and by 1990

6300-715: The foot of the Ahimanawa , Kaweka and the fertile Kaimanawa mountain ranges. West of the plateau stands the volcano Taranaki Maunga (in Egmont National Park ). Two of the country's longest rivers, the Whanganui and the Waikato have their headwaters on the plateau. The tallest mountain, Ruapehu , is an andesite cone that was somewhat higher but has been eroded with a 150 km (36 cu mi) cone and 150 km (36 cu mi) ring-plain. It

6400-562: The formation of the Horomatangi Reefs about 200 years later. Another example in Lake Taupo of such a volcanic dome is Motutaiko Island and towards the north west of the plateau is the lava dome of Mount Tarawera which was split in half by a later relatively small explosive eruption as recently as 1886 with the greatest loss of human life documented from an eruption in New Zealand history. A subsequent risk assessment suggests

6500-463: The founders of the settlement, Edward Jerningham Wakefield , reported that the settlers "took up the views of the directors with great cordiality and the new name was at once adopted". In the Māori language , Wellington has three names: The legendary Māori explorer Kupe , a chief from Hawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused with Hawaii ),

6600-412: The future. Also the Volcanic Plateau region has the largest area of man made forest in the Southern Hemisphere. Nearly all the trees are Pinus radiata which were bought in for trials at Rotorua in 1899 from Kew Gardens , London. The tree, a native of Monterey, California , grew very fast in the poor soils. Mass planting was initially carried out by prisoners in the 1920s and then by the unemployed on

6700-413: The government. The high country sheep and cattle station has several airstrips, 21 houses and 200 km of roading. It historically carried 100,000 breeding ewes and about 8,000 cattle but now carries about a third of these. It has extensive shelter belts of contorta pine, improved rye-grass pasture and grows crops of swedes and barley. It previously was open to tourist and school group bus tours. Tourism

6800-497: The harbour is to the east of the Miramar Peninsula, and contains the dangerous shallows of Barrett Reef , where many ships have been wrecked (notably the inter-island ferry TEV  Wahine in 1968 ). The harbour has three islands: Matiu/Somes Island , Makaro/Ward Island and Mokopuna Island . Only Matiu/Somes Island is large enough for habitation. It has been used as a quarantine station for people and animals, and

6900-399: The harbour. Wellington's status as the capital is a result of constitutional convention rather than statute. Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing the nation's major government institutions. The New Zealand Parliament relocated to the new capital city, having spent the first ten years of its existence in Auckland. A session of parliament officially met in the capital for

7000-502: The hot magma turns water into steam and the magma into ash. Northwest of Ruapehu is Hauhungatahi the oldest recorded volcano in the south of the plateau. The other two most prominent volcanic mountains are Tongariro and Ngauruhoe part of a single composite stratovolcano , like Ruapehu made up of layers of lava and tephra . The ring plain around the central volcanoes is formed from numerous volcanic deposits from slope failure or eruptions, and lahars or mudflows that occur when either

7100-457: The kokako, blue duck and brown kiwi), while imported plants such as old man's beard , banana passionfruit and gorse can take over from indigenous species. Finally grazing by goats and possums can eradicate others such as kamahi , kaikawaka ( Libocedrus bidwillii ) and mountain tōtara . Therefore, smaller islands off the coast of Wellington have been used as a refuge for North Island birds and reptiles whose habitats may be threatened now or in

7200-402: The largest ply factories in New Zealand is located on the Volcanic Plateau at Tokoroa. Although planting by hand is still done on steeper land, most seedlings are now planted with the help of machines. Urban areas in the region include the towns of Taihape in the south, Ohakune the carrot-growing capital of NZ in the west, and Taupō in the north, with Tūrangi a major trout fishing base at

7300-500: The low viscosity of the lava and the small amount of trapped gases. The resulting sheet lava flows may be extruded from linear fissures or rifts or gigantic volcanic eruptions through multiple vents characteristic of the prehistoric era which produced giant flood basalts . Multiple successive and extensive lava flows cover the original landscape to eventually form a plateau, which may contain lava fields , cinder cones , shield volcanoes and other volcanic landforms . In some cases,

7400-452: The magma and this increases to the north and east of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre where there is a landscape of calderas and volcanic domes making up the Taupō caldera complex (Central Taupō Volcanic Zone) and Okataina caldera complex (Okataina Volcanic Centre). These produced much of the ignimbrite sheet deposits of the plateau. Ignimbrite is formed from very viscous rhyolite magma which

7500-469: The more populous South Island (where the goldfields were located) would choose to form a separate colony in the British Empire . Several commissioners (delegates) invited from Australia, chosen for their neutral status, declared that the city was a suitable location because of its central location in New Zealand and its good harbour ; it was believed that the whole Royal Navy fleet could fit into

7600-433: The mouth of the narrow Cook Strait leaves it vulnerable to strong gales, leading to the nickname of "Windy Wellington". Legends recount that Kupe discovered and explored the region in about the 10th century. Before European colonisation, the area in which the city of Wellington would eventually be founded was seasonally inhabited by indigenous Māori . The earliest date with hard evidence for human activity in New Zealand

7700-554: The north and Rangipo underground HEP station to the east. During the 1960s the Tongariro Power Scheme redirected the flow of water from many of the streams and rivers that drain the central peaks. The water was channelled into canals, tunnels and storage lakes to provide water for 2 HEP stations at Rangipo and Tokaanu. The water then flowed into Lake Taupō increasing its input by 20%. Most of the Tongariro river flow

7800-836: The northern Atlantic Ocean region. This region, known as the Thulean Plateau , is generally believed to have been broken up by the foundering of the Earth's crust to form the present ocean basin . Earth features numerous subaerial and submarine volcanic plateaus, such as the Columbia River Plateau (subaerial) and the vast Ontong Java Plateau (submarine). Pyroclastic plateaus are produced by massive pyroclastic flows . They are underlain by pyroclastic rocks : agglomerates , tephra , volcanic ashes cemented into tuffs , mafic or felsic . Pyroclastic plateaus are also called ignimbrite plateaus. Examples include

7900-597: The official residence of the prime minister , is in Thorndon on Tinakori Road. Over six months in 1939 and 1940, Wellington hosted the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition , celebrating a century since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi . Held on 55 acres of land at Rongotai, it featured three exhibition courts, grand Art Deco-style edifices and a hugely popular three-acre amusement park. Wellington attracted more than 2.5 million visitors at

8000-588: The peaks of the mountains which are considered sacred, as well as the Ketetahi hot springs on the north slope of Mt Tongariro. The Māori people considered the volcanoes sacred and in traditional times wore woven flax eye shields to avoid looking at the peaks. The Rangipo region is largely uninhabited. It is used by the New Zealand Army , based at Waiouru in the south, and by the Rangipo prison farm in

8100-612: The plateau this stone, called Hinuera stone (after a quarry of origin), is produced for use for building cladding. An historic eruption at the north west edge of the plateau at Mangakino about 1 million years ago produced ignimbrite that 170 km (110 mi) away in Auckland is up to 9 m (30 ft) thick. The last massive eruption in the area was the Hatepe eruption from the Lake Taupō volcanic complex 1800 years ago, which ejected lava and especially wind-blown tephra over

8200-613: The protection and propagation of native plants. The Wellington region has 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) of regional parks and forests. In the east is the Miramar Peninsula , connected to the rest of the city by a low-lying isthmus at Rongotai , the site of Wellington International Airport . Industry has developed mainly in the Hutt Valley, where there are food-processing plants, engineering industries, vehicle assembly and oil refineries. The narrow entrance to

8300-469: The public service are based in the city. Wellington's economy is primarily service -based, with an emphasis on finance, business services, government, and the film industry. It is the centre of New Zealand's film and special effects industries, and increasingly a hub for information technology and innovation, with two public research universities. Wellington is one of New Zealand's chief seaports and serves both domestic and international shipping. The city

8400-597: The route is exposed, especially during the winter months (April to September) when the route poles are sometimes hidden by snow or blown away. There are two well equipped huts near the ends of route. Detailed guidance is available from the Mt Ruapehu Department of Conservation Visitors Centre. Volcanic plateau Lava plateaus are formed by highly fluid basaltic lava during numerous successive eruptions through numerous vents without violent explosions (quiet eruptions). These eruptions are quiet because of

8500-470: The south of Lake Taupō and by the Kaweka Ranges in the east, The majority of the population of the area lives close to the shores of Lake Taupō , with some smaller settlements to the east of the volcanoes. These make their living largely through tourism , including skiing in the winter season, trout fishing, especially on the Tongariro river or by forestry in the plateau's northeast, which includes

8600-448: The south of the plateau and down to Wellington is home to a variety of lizards including Whitaker's skink (Cyclodina whitakeri) , forest gecko (Hoplodactylus granulatus) and Wellington green gecko (Naultinus elegans punctatus) . Wetlands throughout the region support waterbirds and fish including the endemic brown mudfish . The lowland areas are quite highly populated and therefore urban development, agriculture and forestry are

8700-506: The three active peaks of Mount Tongariro , Mount Ngauruhoe , and Mount Ruapehu in the south, and extends beyond Rotorua in the north reaching almost to the Bay of Plenty coast. North of Tongariro is the volcanic Mount Pihanga . The western boundary of the plateau forms an escarpment beside the Mamaku and Kaimai Ranges , but further south is less distinct. In the east, the plateau runs up to

8800-506: The town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset . It was named in November 1840 by the original settlers of the New Zealand Company on the suggestion of the directors of the same, in recognition of the Duke's strong support for the company's principles of colonisation and his "strenuous and successful defence against its enemies of the measure for colonising South Australia". One of

8900-566: Was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 28,986 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 54,912 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,272 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,541 (11.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.0% European ( Pākehā ); 9.8% Māori ; 5.7% Pasifika ; 20.5% Asian ; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English

9000-510: Was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 29,142 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 55,080 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,806 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,664 (11.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.1% European ( Pākehā ); 9.8% Māori ; 5.7% Pasifika ; 20.4% Asian ; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English

9100-572: Was an internment camp during World War I and World War II. It is a conservation island, providing refuge for endangered species , much like Kapiti Island farther up the coast. There is access during daylight hours by the Dominion Post Ferry. Wellington is primarily surrounded by water, but some of the nearby locations are listed below. Wellington suffered serious damage in a series of earthquakes in 1848 and from another earthquake in 1855. The 1855 Wairarapa earthquake occurred on

9200-545: Was centred between Culverden and Kaikōura in the South Island, caused the Wellington CBD, Victoria University of Wellington , and the Wellington suburban rail network to be largely closed for the day to allow inspections. The earthquake damaged a considerable number of buildings, with 65% of the damage being in Wellington. Subsequently, a number of recent buildings were demolished rather than being rebuilt, often

9300-489: Was considered a masterpiece of engineering. This was the last stage to be built in the main trunk railway line completed in 1908. The Cold Kiwi Motorcycle Rally, advertised as NZ's longest running motorcycle rally , has been held on the Plateau since 1972. The event is run by The Ruapehu Motorcycle Club in early September each year. Bikers sleep in their own tents despite the average temperature being −8 °C at night, but

9400-459: Was due to cobalt deficient volcanic soils. The diagnosis and cure for this was discovered by work of New Zealand scientists (Grimmett and Shorland, senior chemists at the Department of Agriculture in 1934) who found that the iron ore which gave the best results contained significant amounts of cobalt, and went against popular wisdom by dosing animals with cobalt, with spectacular results. Australians Underwood and Filmer in 1936 confirmed this and solved

9500-534: Was forested and stumps of charcoalized trees can be seen where soil has eroded. Around Taupō itself there are geothermal areas with specialised plant life such as the prostrate kanuka (a subspecies of kunzea ericoides ) . Further to the east of the plateau lies more rough hill country in the Kaimanawa Ranges, a popular hunting area for wild red and sika deer. The tops of the mountains are open and tussock covered. Helicopters and light aircraft can land on

9600-477: Was said to have stayed in the harbour prior to 1000 CE. Here, it is said he had a notable impact on the area, with local mythology stating he named the two islands in the harbour after his daughters, Matiu (Somes Island) , and Mākaro (Ward Island) . In New Zealand Sign Language , the name is signed by raising the index, middle, and ring fingers of one hand, palm forward, to form a "W", and shaking it slightly from side to side twice. The city's location close to

9700-557: Was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.7% and other languages by 23.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 26.9% Christian , 3.8% Hindu , 1.8% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.7% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.3% Jewish , and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.7%, and 5.2% of people did not answer

9800-557: Was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.8% and other languages by 23.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 26.9% Christian , 3.8% Hindu , 1.8% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.7% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.3% Jewish , and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.6%, and 5.2% of people did not answer

9900-745: Was that 101,892 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,063 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,268 (3.0%) were unemployed. Wellington showcases a variety of architectural styles from the past 150 years – 19th-century wooden cottages, such as the Italianate Katherine Mansfield Birthplace in Thorndon; streamlined Art Deco structures such as the old Wellington Free Ambulance headquarters, the Central Fire Station, Fountain Court Apartments,

10000-515: Was that 102,369 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,201 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,283 (3.0%) were unemployed. Wellington ranks 12th in the world for quality of living, according to a 2023 study by consulting company Mercer. Of cities in the Asia–Pacific region, Wellington ranked third behind Auckland and Sydney. In 2024, Wellington was ranked as a highly affordable city in terms of cost of living , coming in at 145th out of 226 cities in

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