Auckland stands between two oceans: the Pacific to the east and the Tasman sea to the west. It was first colonised by the Maori around the middle of the 14th century.

A British colony was established in 1840. The area was named Auckland after George Eden, Earl of Auckland, who had a disastrous career as Governor General of India.

Auckland was initially the capital of New Zealand but was replaced by Wellington in 1865.

Wellington is the southernmost capital city in the world. It takes its current name from Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington and victor of the battle of Waterloo.

In Maori Wellington city has two names: Poneke and Te Whanganui o Tara. There is an opinion that Poneke is a Maori transliteration of Port Nick, which is itself an abbreviation of Port Nicholas.

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and the second largest city in New Zealand

The first inhabitants migrated there in the early centuries of the second millenimum. The first group to settle there were the Waitaha some 200 years later.

Christchurch was established as a city in 1856, thus making it New Zealand's oldest city.