Wellington serves as the capital and second-largest urban area of New Zealand, situated on the foreshore of Wellington Harbour and ringed by hills. It holds the distinction of being the world's southernmost capital city of a UN member state. The urban area is divided among four city councils: Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, and Upper Hutt, all operating under the Greater Wellington Regional Council which manages shared services across the wider region including the Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa.