About New Zealand
New Zealand packs an incredible array of scenic beauty New Zealand into two principal islands with a combined north to south distance equal to that of a trip from The Canadian to Mexico borders. And if you have a love for the outdoors, New Zealand is a “must visit destination.” The people (nicknamed the Kiwis after it’s treasured bird) are very friendly and hospitable with their own distinctive brand of humor.
New Zealand is an archipelago with over 700 offshore islands. Most are small and lie within 50 kms (30 miles) of the coast.
The South Island is the larger of the two islands of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. There are 18 peaks over 3000 meters (9,843 ft) the highest of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 meters (12,320 ft). The top of South Island contains areas of forest in the Kahurangi and other national parks. And in the southeastern corner of South Island is Fiordland an area of high mountains cut through with breathtakingly steep fjords. New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch – the Garden city – is situated on the east coast and serves as the gateway to the South Island.
The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism with a volcanic plateau centered the dormant caldera of Lake Taupo. The highest North Island mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2797 m, 9177 ft), is an active volcano. The island’s north is a flatter area once covered by huge Kauri trees.
The North Island is home to New Zealand’s biggest city – Auckland. It’s waterside location has fostered the locals’ love affair with the sea, earning it the title of “City of Sails”. And at the southern tip of the island, stands New Zealand’s capital city Wellington. The more rugged South Island, the larger of the two, combines many aspects of some of the most beautiful scenic destinations in the world.
The dramatic and varied landscape of New Zealand has made it a popular location for the production of TV programs and films including the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Oscar winning Piano and the Last Samurai.
New Zealand is a developed country that ranks highly in international comparisons on human development, quality of life, life expectancy, literacy, public education, peace, prosperity, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Its cities also consistently rank among the world’s most livable countries.
History
New Zealand is culturally and linguistically part of Polynesia, and is the southwestern anchor of the Polynesian Triangle. The indigenous Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa or Land of the Long White Cloud. Legend has it that the Maori ancestors assumed the snow-capped mountains to be low hanging clouds, hence the name, which today applies to the whole country.
New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. The first known settlers were Eastern Polynesians who, according to most researchers, arrived by canoe in about AD 1250 – 1300. Some have suggested an earlier wave of arrivals dating to as early as AD 50 – 150; these people then either died out or left the islands. Over the following centuries these settlers developed into a distinct culture now known as Maori.
The population was divided into iwi (tribes) and hapū (subtribes) which would cooperate, compete and sometimes fight with each other. At some point a group of Māori migrated to the Chatham Islands where they developed their distinct Moriori culture.
The first European name for New Zealand was Staten Landt, the name given to it by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who in 1642 became the first European to see the islands. The name New Zealand originated with the Dutch cartographers who called the islands Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. No one is certain exactly who first coined the term, but it first appeared in 1645. British explorer James Cook later anglicized the name to New Zealand.
From the early nineteenth century, Christian missionaries began to settle New Zealand, eventually converting most of the Māori population, who had become disillusioned with their indigenous faith by the introduction of Western Culture. Becoming aware of the lawless nature of European settlement and of increasing French interest in the territory, the British sent an emissary to New Zealand to claim sovereignty and negotiate a treaty with the Māori. The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1840. The Treaty is regarded as New Zealand’s foundation as a nation and is revered by Māori as a guarantee of their land rights.
Under British rule, New Zealand had initially been part of the colony of New South Wales in Australia. And Okiato was chosen as the capital in 1840, before moving the seat of government to Auckland in 1841, when New Zealand became a separate colony. In 1865, the capital was moved to Wellington and in 1893 the country became the first nation in the world to grant women the right to vote.
In 1907 New Zealand became a Dominion within the British Empire, and an independent Commonwealth realm in 1947 when the Statute of Westminster was adopted. As the country became more politically independent, however, it became more dependent economically; in the 1890s, refrigerated shipping allowed the export of meat and dairy products to Britain, a trade which provided the basis for strong economic growth in New Zealand.
New Zealand was an enthusiastic member of the British Empire, fighting in the Boer War, World War I and World War II, especially in the Battle of Britain, and supporting Britain in the Suez Crisis. The country was very much a part of the world economy and suffered as others did in the Great Depression of the 1930s. The depression led to the election of the first Labor government, which established a comprehensive welfare state and a protectionist economy.
New Zealand experienced increasing prosperity following World War II. However, some social problems were developing; Māori had begun to leave traditional rural life and move to the cities in search of work. In 1975, a Waitangi Tribunal was set up to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty, and it was enabled to investigate historic grievances in 1985. In common with other developed countries, social developments accelerated in the 1970s and social and political mores changed.
New Zealand has a population of about 4.3 million of which approximately 78% identify with European ethnic groups. The term Pākehā usually refers to New Zealanders of European decent, although some reject this appellation, and some Māori use it to refer to all non-Māori and non-Polynesian New Zealanders. Most European New Zealanders are of British and Irish ancestry, although there has been significant Dutch, Dalmatian, Italian, and German immigration together with indirect European immigration through Australia, North America, South America and South Africa.
According to the 2006 census projections, by 2026 European children will make up 64% of all New Zealand children, compared with 73% in 2006. Māori children will make up 29%, up from 24% in 2006, and Asian and Pacific children will make up about 18% each, compared with 9% and 12% in 2006, respectively.
The life expectancy of a child born in 2008 was 82.4 years for a girl, and 78.4 years for a boy. Life expectancy at birth (males and females) is forecast to increase from 80 years to 85 years in 2050. Must have something to do with the clean air and isolation.
Culture
While New Zealand is culturally and linguistically part of Polynesia, forming the southwestern anchor of the Polynesian Triangle, much of contemporary New Zealand culture is derived from British roots. It also includes significant influences from American, Australian and Māori cultures, along with those of other European cultures and – more recently – non-Māori Polynesian and Asian cultures. Large festivals in celebration of Diwali and Chinese New Year are held in several of the larger centers. The world’s largest Polynesian festival, Pasifika, is an annual event in Auckland.
Cultural links between New Zealand and the United Kingdom are maintained by a common language, sustained migration from the United Kingdom, and many young New Zealanders spending time in the United Kingdom on their “overseas experience” (OE). The music and cuisine of New Zealand are similar to that of Australia, Canada, UK, and the US, although both have distinct New Zealand and Pacific qualities.
Māori culture has undergone considerable change since the arrival of Europeans; in particular the introduction of Christianity in the early 19th century brought about fundamental change in everyday life. Nonetheless the perception that most Māori now live similar lifestyles to their Pākehā neighbors is a superficial one. In fact, Māori culture has significant differences, for instance the important role which the marae (meeting place) and the extended family continue to play in communal and family life.
Māori still regard their allegiance to tribal groups as a vital part of personal identity, and Māori kinship roles resemble those of other Polynesian peoples.
As part of the resurgence of Māori culture that came to the fore in the late 20th century, the tradition-based arts of kapa haka (song and dance), carving and weaving are now more widely practiced, and the architecture of the marae maintains strong links to traditional forms. Māori also value their connections to Polynesia, as attested by the increasing popularity of waka ama (outrigger canoe racing), which is now an international sport involving teams from all over the Pacific.
Use of the Māori language (te reo Māori) as a living, community language remained only in a few remote areas in the post-war years, but is currently undergoing a process of revitalization, thanks in part to Māori language immersion schools and two Māori Television channels. These are the only nationwide television channels to have the majority of its prime-time content delivered in Māori. However, partly in recognition of the importance of Māori culture to New Zealand, the language was declared one of New Zealand’s official languages in 1987.
Despite it’s small size and population (4.4 million people), NZ enjoys a generally high standard of living. Its economy is agrarian based, but it has become one of the world’s leading high-tech centers.
New Zealand is also well known for its extreme sports and adventure tourism. Its reputation in extreme sports extends from the establishment of the world’s first commercial bungy jumping site at Queenstown in the South Island, as well as the inventors of the thrilling yet wacky sport of Zorbing.
Sport has a major role in New Zealand’s culture, with the unofficial national sport of rugby union being particularly influential. Other popular participatory sports include cricket, lawn bowling, netball, soccer, motorsports, golf, swimming and tennis. New Zealand has strong international teams in several sports including rugby union, netball, cricket, rugby league, and softball. New Zealand also has traditionally done well in the sports of rowing, yachting and cycling. The country is internationally recognized for performing well on a medals-to-population ratio at Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
Rugby union, commonly referred to as rugby, is closely linked to the country’s national identity. The national rugby team, the All Blacks, has the best win to loss record of any national team, and is well known for the haka (a traditional Māori challenge) performed before the start of international matches. Rugby league is also widely played in New Zealand. The New Zealand Warriors compete in the Australian NRL competition, and in 2008 the national side, the Kiwis, won the Rugby League World Cup.
Cricket was introduced to New Zealand in the 1800s and is the second most popular sport in the country, with one source stating there are 98,000 registered cricket players. The New Zealand team is known as the Blackcaps and the national women’s team is the White Ferns.
Horse racing is a popular spectator sport that has spawned such national icons as Cardigan Bay and Phar Lap, and was part of the traditional “Rugby, Racing and Beer” culture.
The country also has a strong mountaineering tradition, with its most famous climber being the late Sir Edmund Hillary, who with Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.
Geography
New Zealand comprises two main islands, the North and South Islands, Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu respectively in Māori, and a number of smaller islands. The North and South Islands are separated by Cook Strait, 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide at its narrowest point. The total land area, 268,021 square kilometers (103,483 sq.mi), is a little less than that of Italy or Japan, and a little more than the United Kingdom.
The country extends more than 1,600 kilometers (990 miles) along its main, north-north-east axis, with approximately 15,134 km (9,404 miles) of coastline. The most significant of the smaller inhabited islands include Stewart Island/Rakiura; Waiheke Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf; Great Barrier Island, east of the Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands, named Rēkohu by Moriori.
The country has extensive marine resources, with the seventh-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometers (1.5 million square miles), more than 15 times its land area.
The South Island is the largest land mass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. There are 18 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) the highest of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3,754 meters (12,316 ft). The top of South Island contains areas of forest in the Kahurangi and other national parks. The southwestern corner of South Island is Fiordland, an area of high mountains cut through with steep fjords.
The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism. The highly active Taupo volcanic zone has formed a large volcanic plateau, with the North Island’s highest mountain, Mount Ruapehu 2,797 meters (9,177 ft), and a deep caldera filled by Lake Taupo, the country’s largest lake. The island’s north is a flatter area, once covered by huge kauri trees.
The country owes its varied topography, and perhaps even its emergence above the waves, to the dynamic boundary it straddles between the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates. New Zealand is part of Zealandia, a micro-continent nearly half the size of Australia that gradually submerged after breaking away from the Gondwanna supercontinent. About 25 million years ago, a shift in plate tectonic movements began to contort and crumple the region. This is now most evident in the Southern Alps, formed by compression of the crust beside the Alpine Fault.
Because of its long isolation from the rest of the world and its island bio-geography, New Zealand has extraordinary flora and fauna. There are no predatory animals save for the kea parrots who have a fondness for tires and rubber windshield gaskets. The endemic, primarily nocturnal, flightless Kiwi is a national icon.
You’re never more than 130 kms (81 miles) from the sea in New Zealand, which has 18,000 kms (10,800 miles) of coastline. It’s also a land of mountains, lakes and rivers, native forests, and farmlands. The variety, beauty and accessibility of these natural features are central to New Zealand’s identity, and attract thousands of tourists every year.
New Zealanders are strongly protective of their environment including the air, land and oceans.
Climate
The latitudinal climate of New Zealand, from approximately 34 to 47° S, corresponds closely to that of Italy in the Northern Hemisphere. However, its isolation from continental influences and exposure to cold southerly winds and ocean currents give the climate a much milder character. The climate throughout the country is mild and temperate, mainly maritime, with temperatures rarely falling below 0 °C (32 °F) or rising above 30 °C (86 °F) in populated areas.
Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely moiston the West Coast of the South Island to semi-arid in the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland on the North Island. Of the main cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving only 640 millimeters (25 in) of rain per year; Auckland, the wettest, receives almost twice that amount. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average in excess of 2,000 hours of sunshine. The southern and southwestern parts of the South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours; the northern and northeastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive approximately 2,400–2,500 hours.
Getting around New Zealand
Air
You can fly between all New Zealand cities and most major towns using domestic air services. Air New Zealand and JetStar (a Qantas subsidiary) are the main providers. These services are complemented by regional airlines, charter companies and scenic flight operators.
Drive
Self-drive is a great way to explore New Zealand. You’ll have the flexibility to evolve your itinerary as you go along, and the freedom to explore places that are away from the usual tourist trails. Roads are generally of a very high standard, all main routes are sealed and well signposted; beyond the cities, traffic is light.
Driving Laws
You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver’s license from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP). Note: if your overseas license or permit isn’t in English, you must carry an accurate translation. Commonly, you need to be 21 or older to rent a car in New Zealand.
Bus/Coach
If you’re looking for a cost-effective alternative to air travel, catch a coach. Daily scheduled passenger services are available throughout the country. There’s also a multitude of coach companies serving the main tourist routes.
Hop-on, hop-off traveler’s networks, where you buy a pass for unlimited travel, can move you around New Zealand’s major destinations very effectively. In Auckland there are buses that circulate around key attractions, allowing you unlimited travel for a fixed price.
If you’re travelling with a group, charter coach companies have the flexibility to adapt to your itinerary. The drivers are also guides, so you’ll have the added benefit of a commentary if you want one.
Rail
The main reason to choose a rail journey in New Zealand is scenery. While the rail network isn’t vast, there are some incredible voyages available. You’ll see things that simply can’t be seen from the road.
In the South Island, Tranz Scenic runs two magnificent railways. Between Picton and Christchurch you can catch the TranzCoastal, which gives you the Kaikoura mountain ranges on one side and the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline on the other.
The other rail route is the TranzAlpine, which travels over the dividing range between east and west. This particular trip, linking Christchurch to Greymouth, has been called one of the world’s top six train journeys.
In the North Island, the Overlander train links Wellington and Auckland as it travels through the central North Island and winds the famous Raurimu Spiral.
Ferries
New Zealand’s most famous ferry route is between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. As well as transporting you and your vehicle, this journey showcases the extraordinary beauty of the Marlborough Sounds. Sightings of dolphins, whales and fur seals are common.
If you find yourself in Hamilton, Wanganui or Queenstown, a paddle steamer cruise should definitely be on the agenda. In the Bay of Islands, the ‘Hole in the Rock’ cruise to the tip of Cape Brett is a star attraction.
Cycling
If you want to make New Zealand’s scenery last longer, touring the country on a bicycle promises maximum exposure to the fabulous landscapes. Well maintained roads can take you anywhere in the country – from the sub-tropical north to the refreshing highways of Southland.
