Wellington: The compact capital

Wellington became New Zealand's capital in 1865 because an independent commission judged it more central than Auckland, with a sheltered harbor that made travel easier for lawmakers arriving from the South Island. Auckland had served as the original capital, but its northern location left southern representatives with a long, difficult journey to reach Parliament.

No, Auckland is not the capital of New Zealand. Wellington has held that role since 1865, even though Auckland remains the country's largest and most populous city. Parliament and the Supreme Court both sit in Wellington, while Auckland remains the country's main commercial and population hub instead.

Wellington is windy because it sits right beside Cook Strait, the narrow gap that separates New Zealand's North and South Islands. Wind gets squeezed through this gap the way water speeds up through a narrower pipe, so it arrives in the city faster and stronger than it started out over the open sea.

Yes, Wellington is the southernmost capital city of any sovereign country, sitting at about 41 degrees south latitude on the tip of New Zealand's North Island. No other national capital lies closer to the South Pole, a position that comes from New Zealand's location deep in the Southern Hemisphere rather than any deliberate planning.

Wellington sits at the boundary where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates meet, and the Wellington Fault runs directly beneath the city. Sudden shifts along this fault, and others nearby, release the built-up pressure between the plates, which is what causes the frequent tremors residents feel throughout the year.