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New Zealand today
 
 

New Zealand lies in the south west Pacific Ocean, nearly 2 000 kms from Australia, to the east, and 19 017 kms, or 11 790 miles from Paris, France. New Zealand is over 1.600 kilometres long, and its widest part is 450 kilometres. The total land area is around 270 550 square kilometres, with approximately 10 000 kilometres of coastline.

The capital city is Wellington, near the southern tip of the North Island, with a population of approximately 360 000 (although probably over this figure by now). Wellington's central geographical position was the major deciding factor in the transfer of the seat of government from Auckland, in 1865.

Auckland is the largest city with a population having just reached one million. Over 200 000 inhabitants of Auckland are from the Pacific islands, which makes Auckland the largest Polynesian city in the world.

The total population of New Zealand is 3.9 million, and is predicted to reach 4.6 million within the next 44 years. Māori make up about 15% of the population, and are the indigenous people of New Zealand. Most Māori live in the North Island areas of Northland, Auckland city, the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato.

Auckland is the largest city with a population having just reached one million. Over 200 000 inhabitants of Auckland are from the Pacific islands, which makes Auckland the largest Polynesian city in the world.

The total population of New Zealand is 3.9 million, and is predicted to reach 4.6 million within the next 44 years. Māori make up about 15% of the population, and are the indigenous people of New Zealand. Most Māori live in the North Island areas of Northland, Auckland city, the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato.

Auckland city
Auckland city skyline

In the South Island the Māori population is increasing, and the Canterbury area contained nearly 6% of the Māori population in 1996.

New Zealand is part of the largely submerged continent of Zealandia, which stretches from the north of New Caledonia to the south of New Zealand's subantartic islands. 93% of Zealandia is underwater. For more information see "The New Zealand continent".

New Zealand is an island nation. The three main islands which make up New Zealand are the North Island, the South Island, and Stewart Island, but a number of smaller offshore islands are also included :

  • The Chatham Islands
  • The Kermadec Islands
  • Campbell Island
  • The Antipodes Islands
  • The Bounty Islands
  • The Auckland Islands

New Zealand also has part jurisdiction over the territories of Tokelau and the Ross Dependency, and is involved in Antartica.

Click here for a map (80k) showing New Zealand's geographical position.

Approximately 23% of the country is forested, as compared with 80% originally. Most of the remaining forested areas are protected.

New Zealand is a very mountainous country. Under a quarter of the land is less than 200 metres above sea level. It lies on a fault line which forms part of the Pacific "Rim of Fire", although there have been only two major volcanic eruptions in the relatively recent past. One was the huge eruption which resulted in the creation of Rangitoto Island in Waitemata Harbour (Auckland) about 600 years ago, and the second was the 10th June 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera.

More recent minor eruptions occurred at Mount Ruapehu, when the mountain erupted in 1995 and then again in 1996. Small earthquakes are relatively common. A Richter magnitude shock of 6 or over occurs around once a year, but a shock of 7 or over occurs approximately only once in 10 years.

Lake Taupo, situated in the Volcanic Plateau area of the North Island, fills a crater which had been formed by the world's largest known eruption. This happened in two sections, around 1 800 and 26 000 years ago. The volcanic dust which arose from the eruption, bringing with it changes in the skies, could be seen as far away as Rome and China.

The North Island is mainly made up of coastal plains and small mountain ranges. The main volcanic mountains in the North Island are : Mount Tongariro (1 967 metres), Mount Ngaruahoe (2 287 metres), Mount Taranaki (or Egmont) (2 518 metres) and Mount Ruapehu, the largest, at (2 797 metres)

In the South Island, it is the higher Southern Alps which run the length of the island. The Southern Alps count 360 glaciers, of which the largest are : the Tasman, Murchison, Mueller, Godley and the Hooker glaciers. These five are situated on the East coast of the South Island. On the West coast, the largest glaciers are the Fox and the Franz Josef glaciers.

At least 223 named peaks in the Southern Alps are higher than 2.300 metres. Some of the highest mountains or peaks in the South Island are : Torres ( 3 163 metres) Teichelmann (3 160 metres) Sefton (3 157 metres) Malte Brun (3 155 metres) and Haast (3 138 metres).

Mount Cook (or Aoraki, in Māori), in the South Island, is the highest mountain in New Zealand (3 754 metres). The largest lake is Lake Taupo, and the river with the greatest flow is the Clutha. The longest river in the North Island is the Waikato.

N New Zealand has a maritime climate, affected by latitude and the proximity of the ocean. The country's mountain ranges, and in particular those of the South Island, create different climactic conditions between the North and the South Islands. The Southern Alps also form a climatic barrier between the east and west coasts of the South Island.

The North Island has a generally more temperate climate, while winter conditions in certain areas of the South Island may drop to near arctic conditions. New Zealand's weather is inclined to be very changeable. A brisk rain shower will give way just as suddenly to sunny skies, or a bracing wind.

In general the country experiences high rainfall, particularly in Winter. The East Coast of New Zealand is the driest area, while the West Coast of the South Island has one of the highest annual rainfalls in the world.

January and February are the warmest months in New Zealand ; July and August are the coolest.

 
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Agriculture is the principal economy of New Zealand. When Great Britain joined the EEC in 1973, New Zealand was forced to diversify into other fields such as horticulture, viticulture, forestry and fishing. A large trade market has been established with the Asian countries. In 1984 New Zealand lifted its agricultural subsidies, and has since become one of the least regulated markets.

New Zealand has 13 times as many sheep as people (approximately 47.2 million sheep in the land - although possibly less than this figure by now)

Since the air travel boom in the 70's, New Zealand has become easily accessible to overseas visitors, producing a change of lifestyle, mentality and culture. Communities of Polynesians, Italians, Dutch, French, Greek, North American, as well as the Asian countries of Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia, China and India, just to name a few, have introduced ethnic diversity to New Zealand.

Most New Zealanders are of British descent, but many also are able to trace their descent from the Netherlands, France, Germany, Greece and Yugolsavia.

Although New Zealand has no official religion, the Church of England (protestant) is the main church.

 
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Democracy

New Zealand gained Dominion status in 1907, and total independence from Great Britain was later gained by the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act of 1947. In other words New Zealand remains a member of the British Commonwealth, but is an independent nation within this Commonwealth.

The British Monarch, although the constitutional head of state, plays no active role in the running of New Zealand's government.

A Governor-General, usually a New Zealander, represents the Queen by carrying out various responsibilities. These include summoning parliament for the appointing of Ministers, as well as carrying out ceremonial duties .A bill cannot be passed by parliament and become law until approved by the Governor General.

Click here to visit the website of the Governor-General of New Zealand.

Every New Zealander over the age of 18 years may vote. General elections take place every three years. The two main political parties in New Zealand are the Labour party and the National party, representing the centre left and the centre right respectively.

 

Currency

In 1967 decimal currency was introduced to New Zealand, and the first decimal coins commenced circulation on 10th July 1967. New Zealand's currency is the New Zealand dollar. Previous to 1967 New Zealand's currency had been the pounds, shilling and pence system used in the United Kingdom.

A history of New Zealand coinage may be found on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand website.

Information on New Zealand's economy may be found on The Treasury website.

 

Links to more info on the following subjects :
Immigration Tourism
New Zealand's system of government New Zealand festivals/national holidays
New Zealand history Anzac Day history
Māori discussion forums Māori arts
About New Zealand (visas, government, etc)
More links ...
 
 
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More Links
Why is New Zealand so special
ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND offers a variety of outdoor oriented, small group, hiking, paddling and biking guided adventure tours around New Zealand and Australia.
AUSSIE WALKABOUTS offers a variety of outdoor oriented, small group, hiking, paddling and cycling guided trips on the eastern coast of the continent of Australia and in New Zealand.
Visiting / Migrating to New Zealand
New Zealand tourism
The Migration Bureau The Migration Bureau is an international visa consulting company specialising in obtaining skills, business, and family residence visas for Australia, New Zealand and Canada. You will benefit from the convenience of a complete "one-stop" migration service including professional assistance with residence visa processing, official qualification recognition, business migration, job search and re-settlement.
The New Zealand Immigration Service
NewZealand.com New Zealand's official tourism website
The Office of Ethnic Affairs in New Zealand
Auckland International airport
Official Gateway
NZ Government online
to NZ Government
Pictures
Picture slideshow of New Zealand
VirtualNZ for more pictures of New Zealand
Several New Zealand webcam scenes
Other links
Music and words of the New Zealand national anthem
Listen to God Defend New Zealand as played by the New Zealand Symphony orchestra
NZCity.co.nz - New Zealand news
New Zealand digital yearbook collection. A comprehensive statistical picture of life in New Zealand since 1893.
 
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 Please be aware that this website is a personal homepage. It would therefore be wise to cross check information which I have presented here. A list of many official New Zealand history sites may be found within my Links section.