Information on New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND -IT’S A STATE OF MIND
The first significant feature to note about New Zealand is that it was the last major and habitable land mass on earth to be colonised by mankind. The country was an isolated ark of ancient plant and bird life, which evolved without competition from mammals.
	The land offers an unspoilt natural environment to explore, and absorb.
There is a rich diversity of sporting, scenic and cultural experiences to enjoy, and many opportunities to explore ‘off the beaten track’.
GEOGRAPHY
	New Zealand is similar in size to the United Kingdom or Japan. There are three main islands, North, South and Stewart Islands, and several offshore groups, the biggest of which are the Chatham Islands. New Zealand is more than 1600 kilometres long, and 450 kilometres wide at its widest part. New Zealand is 1600 kilometres from Australia, and is separated from it by the Tasman Sea. Mountains run down the middle of both the North and South Islands, which are separated by 20 kilometres of sea known as Cook Strait. Over 75 percent of the country’s land area is at least 200 metres above sea level. The highest mountain is Mt Cook, in the Southern Alps of the South Island, at 3753 metres above sea level. But at least another 220 peaks in the alps are higher than 2300 metres, and there are 360 glaciers.

Compared with other countries on the Pacific Rim, such as Japan and Chile, New Zealand experiences only moderate volcanic and earthquake activity. Currently, the most active area is the central North Island. White Island, about 90 kilometres off the Bay of Plenty coast, and also frequently be seen in action.

CLIMATE
New Zealand’s climate ranges from sub-tropical in the north to temperate in the south. But there is a much greater contrast between climates in the east and west of the country, as the main mountain ranges are a major barrier to the prevailing westerly winds. As a result, rainfall is much higher to the west. This is most pronounced in the South Island, where Central Otago receives 35 centimetres of rain, but Fiordland receives over six metres. Nelson and Blenheim are the sunniest places in New Zealand, with over 2400 hours of sunshine each year, but most other areas receive at least 2000 hours. The seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere. Summer is from December to March, autumn from March to June, winter from July to August and spring from September to November. The surrounding ocean means that New Zealand largely has a marine climate, except in Central Otago, where the seasonal changes are more extreme. Even so, there are few places where temperatures are higher than 35^oC in summer or lower than 10^oC in winter. Link to Current Weather

POPULATION
In March, 1994, New Zealand’s total population was 3,542,000, remarkably small for it’s size. Only 15 percent live in rural areas. About 74 percent of New Zealanders are of European descent, 13 percent, or 431,000 are Maori and 3.5 percent of Pacific Island of Polynesian descent. Of all Maori, 89 percent live in the North Island, principally in Northland, Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Chinese, Vietnamese, Dutch and many other cultures are also represented.
	Almost one-third of the population, 929,300 live in Auckland (left) , the largest City. The city sprawls around a narrow isthmus, and contains dozens of extinct and dormant volcanoes. The 329,000 inhabitants of Wellington, the capital city and centre of government, live squeezed around a narrow coastal strip and steep hills at the southern tip of the North Island.
Christchurch , the South Island’s largest city with a population of 318,000, is situated on the Canterbury Plains, and is renowned for its garden atmosphere. Smaller cities include Hamilton, the largest city not on the coast, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Hastings and Rotorua.

PLANT LIFE
New Zealand’s rich, evergreen forest is unusual for a temperate region. Altogether, about 112 native forest-tree species grow here. About 75 percent of its flowering plants are found only in New Zealand. As well as forest, there is shrub land, with manuka, and many ferns, which thrive in the cool, moist climate. Sub-tropical bush predominates in the North Island, which include Rimu, Totara and Kauri, while the South Island has large areas of beech forest. Much of the forest is benign, with few stinging nettles or poisonous plants.

FINANCE
Credit cards are widely used in New Zealand. The most common are MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Bankcard. Money vending machines are also widespread. A tax of 12.5 percent, known as the Goods and Services Tax, or GST, applies on all goods and services supplied in New Zealand. In most cases, this tax is included in the purchase price. Goods and souvenirs bought before leaving New Zealand are exempted if you show your travel ticket, or buy from duty-free stores.

Visit Coast Biologicals Limited

The first significant feature to note about New Zealand is that it was the last major and habitable land mass on earth to be colonised by mankind.

The country was an isolated ark of ancient plant and bird life, which evolved without competition from mammals.

The land offers an unspoilt natural environment to explore, and absorb.

There is a rich diversity of sporting, scenic and cultural experiences to enjoy, and many opportunities to explore ‘off the beaten track’.

GEOGRAPHY

New Zealand is similar in size to the United Kingdom or Japan. There are three main islands, North, South and Stewart Islands, and several offshore groups, the biggest of which are the Chatham Islands. New Zealand is more than 1600 kilometres long, and 450 kilometres wide at its widest part.

New Zealand is 1600 kilometres from Australia, and is separated from it by the Tasman Sea.

Mountains run down the middle of both the North and South Islands, which are separated by 20 kilometres of sea known as Cook Strait.

Over 75 percent of the country’s land area is at least 200 metres above sea level. The highest mountain is Mt Cook, in the Southern Alps of the South Island, at 3753 metres above sea level. But at least another 220 peaks in the alps are higher than 2300 metres, and there are 360 glaciers.

CLIMATE

The surrounding ocean means that New Zealand largely has a marine climate, except in Central Otago, where the seasonal changes are more extreme. Even so, there are few places where temperatures are higher than 35oC in summer or lower than 10oC in winter.

Link to Current Weather

POPULATION

In March, 1994, New Zealand’s total population was 3,542,000, remarkably small for it’s size. Only 15 percent live in rural areas. About 74 percent of New Zealanders are of European descent, 13 percent, or 431,000 are Maori and 3.5 percent of Pacific Island of Polynesian descent.

Of all Maori, 89 percent live in the North Island, principally in Northland, Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Chinese, Vietnamese, Dutch and many other cultures are also represented.

Almost one-third of the population, 929,300 live in Auckland (left) , the largest City. The city sprawls around a narrow isthmus, and contains dozens of extinct and dormant volcanoes.

The 329,000 inhabitants of Wellington, the capital city and centre of government, live squeezed around a narrow coastal strip and steep hills at the southern tip of the North Island.

Christchurch , the South Island’s largest city with a population of 318,000, is situated on the Canterbury Plains, and is renowned for its garden atmosphere.

Smaller cities include Hamilton, the largest city not on the coast, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Hastings and Rotorua.

PLANT LIFE

Sub-tropical bush predominates in the North Island, which include Rimu, Totara and Kauri, while the South Island has large areas of beech forest. Much of the forest is benign, with few stinging nettles or poisonous plants.

FINANCE

Credit cards are widely used in New Zealand. The most common are MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Bankcard. Money vending machines are also widespread.

The surrounding ocean means that New Zealand largely has a marine climate, except in Central Otago, where the seasonal changes are more extreme. Even so, there are few places where temperatures are higher than 35^oC in summer or lower than 10^oC in winter.