About New Zealand

New Zealand, the land of long white cloud, is well known for its spectacular beautiful landscape, fascinating plants and animal lives, temperate climate and culturally diversified society. It is a country boasts of vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rainforests. It is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seeker and adventures.

 

Geography
New Zealand is situated in the south Pacific Ocean, about 1600 km South East of Australia. The nation consists of two main islands, The North and South Islands, and a number of smaller outlying islands. New Zealand has a land size of approximately 269,000 square kilometers and is roughly comparable in size to Japan or Colorado. The North Island (approximately 116,000 square kilometers in size) and the South Island (approximately 151,000 square kilometers in size) are separated by Cook Strait. The North Island has a number of large volcanoes and is renowned for its beautiful beaches and coastal scenery. The South Island boasts spectacular mountains covered or capped by snows depending on the time of the year. The west coast glaciers are unique, ending within km of the sea through temperate rainforest and providing excellent hiking and skiing opportunities.

 

The major cities of New Zealand are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Auckland, situated in North Island, has the biggest population. The capital city of the nation is Wellington.

 

Language
New Zealand’s official language is English and Maori. English is the most commonly used language.

 

Culture and Population
New Zealand has a diverse multi-cultural population of just over 4 million people. Majority of the population are European decent. New Zealand's indigenous Maori makes up around 14 percent of the population and has a unique and fascinating language and culture, which plays a major role in New Zealand life. New Zealand is one of the world’s least crowded country.

 

Climate and Weather
New Zealand has a temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variations. The north of New Zealand is subtropical and the south is temperate. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest are June, July and August. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30ºC and in winter between 10-15ºC.

 

Economic
Agriculture is the economic mainstay, but manufacturing and tourism are important and there is a fledgling film industry in New Zealand. New Zealand has diversified its export markets and has developed strong trade links with Australia, the US and Japan. In April 2008, it became the first western country to sign a free trade deal with China.

 

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