Wellington

Small town in Prince County in the southwest of Prince Edward Island, Canada, 91 km/57 mi west of Charlottetown; population (1996 est) 430. Wellington, a chief settlement and trading centre of the Evangeline Region, is largely a rural district occupied by mainly French-speaking people descended from Acadian settlers (79% of inhabitants have French as their first language). Agriculture, fishing (principally for lobsters and scallops), and tourism are important employers in the area, but many of the jobs are seasonal.

The town was part of the original Lot 16 when Prince Edward Island was surveyed in 1767, and was named Quagmire after the peat bogs found here. It was later called Barlow's Mills, and then named after the Duke of Wellington. The first European settlers were Irish, followed by Scots, English, and Acadians. Wellington is the base for La Société de Développement de la Baie Acadienne, a development corporation seeking to improve the economy of the area, which is less strong than in other parts of the island.

Acadian festivals are held in the area at Abram-Village and Miscouche, where there is an Acadian Museum.