New Zealand

Quick Facts

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Capital

Wellington

Population

4,100,000 ^[1]

Government

Parliamentary Democracy

Religions

Christianity (Protestant, Catholic)

Languages

English, Maori

Calling Code

+64

Currency

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Time zone

UTC+12 (+13 DST)

Nationality

New Zealander

Local name

Aotearoa (Māori)

Introduction

no title

© All Rights Reserved kearoot

Rarely has a country been so effectively promoted by a feature film as New Zealand has. Lord of the Rings has driven images of New Zealand into the minds of millions. The epic proportions of the film are perfectly enhanced by the epic proportions of New Zealand's landscape. This is a country for adventure and photo cameras. North Island's bubbling volcanic peaks and South Island's Southern Alps are a hiker's paradise - as well as a bungee jumper's, a skier's, a spelunker's, etc.

New Zealand's attraction does not, however, lie solely in its natural aspects. Urban New Zealand is characterized by vibrant Maori culture and tasteful European modernism. Cities like Wellington and Auckland are not glamorous, but have a strong aesthetic appeal backed up by the surrounding landscape.

Brief History

New Zealand was originally settled by Polynesians at some point between the 11th and 14th century. Their descendants are known as Māori.

The first Europeans to arrive in New Zealand were led by Dutchman Abel Tasman, who anchored in Golden Bay, at the northern end of the South Island in December 1642. After a clash with local Māori, he moved on to Tonga. He did however sketch the west coasts of the two major islands and named them Staten Landt, after the States-General of the Netherlands. That name was however changed to Nova Zeelandia by Dutch cartographers (after the Dutch province of Zeeland).

More than a hundred years after Tasman's visit, Captain James Cook visited the islands and was the first to circumnavigate them. Various whaling, sealing and trading ships visited the islands from the 1790s, offering European goods for Māori supplies and services.

In 1840, a treaty was signed between Māori chiefs and the British, which brought New Zealand into the British Empire and gave Māori the same rights as British citizens. Land quickly became an issue in the following decades, eventually leading to the loss of much of the native land through wars and bureaucracy.

In the early 20th century, the economy was highly regulated and an extensive welfare state emerged. During the World Wars, New Zealand, as part of the British Empire, committed significant numbers of troops to fight alongside Britain.

In the 1950s, Māori were moving to the cities in large numbers. This developed into a protest movement, which led to better race-relations in the late 20th century. Towards the end of the 20th century, the economy became increasingly deregulated. Foreign policy became more independent, rather than following the lead from Britain or the United States.

Geography

New Zealand is one of the most southern countries in the world, totally surrounded by the South Pacific Ocean, although to the west it is called Tasman Sea. It consists of two main island, the volcanic and subtropical North Island and the South Island, with snowcapped mountains and fjords. In between is the 30 kilometer wide Cook Strait. The highest summit is Mount Cook on the South Island, over 3700 meters and Lake Taupo on the North Island is the largest body of water in the country. South of the South Island, is a third main island, Stewart Island. It is much smaller though but can be visited by boat or plane, as it is a good place to spot the elusive Kiwi bird (mostly during the night), the national symbol of the country.

The extreme north of the North Island is subtropical with magnificent beaches and the Bay of Islands. More inland there are the volcanic ranges of Tongariro National Park, with its three summits Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, also featured in the Lord of the Rings movies. Rotorua is a good place to see volcanic activities as well, as mud pools are just below the surface and occasionally some eruptions do occur. The rest of the North Island is more gentle with flat or rolling farmland, although in the southwest of the island is Mount Taranaki, a perfectly shaped volcano surrounded by more flat landscapes.

The west of the South Island is known for its great landscapes, with the New Zealand Alps forming the backbone, added by numerous glaciers and fjords. Fiordland National Park is one of the rare UNESCO World Heritage sites only because of its natural wonders.

The eastern part is mostly rolling hills with grass where sheep are grazing, but in the north there are some vineyards as well, for example around Blenheim.

New Zealand has some subpolar islands as well, but are either time consuming or expensive to get there, or both.

Regions

The two main islands comprising New Zealand:

• North Island
• South Island

Several smaller islands, not necessarily easily accessible to travellers:

• Stewart Island
• Chatham Islands
• Sub-Antarctic Islands

Cities

Auckland Night Cityscape

© All Rights Reserved ArnaMarie

On North Island:

• Auckland is a New Zealand's largest city and a must see.
• Hamilton
• Tauranga
• Gisborne
• Rotorua is home to several geothermal wonders.
• Wellington - New Zealand's capital.

On South Island:

• Nelson
• Christchurch is the largest city on the south island.
• Queenstown is a wild and crazy mountain town.
• Dunedin
• Invercargill

Sights and Activities

Milford Sound

Milford Sound Waterfall

© All Rights Reserved Laur456

Milford Sound, despite its remote location on the southwestern coast of New Zealand's South Island, is one of the country's most popular attractions. Boat tours around the Sound (which is technically a fjord, not a sound) are the most popular way to get around, though the more adventurous travellers can set out in their own kayak.

• Doubtful Sound To the south of Milford
• Tongariro National Park A spectacular region of North Island
• Mount Cook New Zealand's highest peak situated in the Southern Alps

Events and Festivals

Weather

Named by the Maori as 'Land of the Long White Cloud', New Zealand has mild temperatures and moderately high rainfall with many hours of sun in most parts. New Zealand's warmest months are December through March, its summer. Winter spans from June to August and mountains on the South Island make New Zealand a popular skiing destination in this period. Most of New Zealand lies close to the coast however, resulting in mild temperatures and plenty of sunlight year round.

The average temperature in the very north of New Zealand is around 15 °C, with the far south averaging 9 °C. Although New Zealand does not have a large temperature range, the weather can shift suddenly and it is not uncommon to experience '4 seasons in 1 day'.

Getting There

Being an island, there are really only two ways to get to New Zealand, by boat or by plane.

By Plane

Auckland International Airport (AKL) is the country's busiest airport, followed by Christchurch International Airport (CHC), which is the main airport on the South Island and has a growing number of connections to destinations in the Pacific. There are also international airports in Dunedin, Hamilton (New Zealand), Queenstown, Wellington and Palmerston North, though these airports only have flights to/from Australia or, in some cases, Fiji.

The national carrier for New Zealand is Air New Zealand, which operates flights to New Zealand from/via most Pacific islands and Australia. There are also connections with Europe via the United States. Most flights originate from London and fly via Los Angeles or San Fransisco, which provides a good option for seeing something in between as well.

Many smaller carriers from neighbouring countries serve almost all the Pacific islands, including Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Also carriers from South America, like Aerolineas Argentinas and Lan Chile and carriers from Asia, like Japan Airlines and Korean Air are serving the country. Of course, also Qantas has flights to and from New Zealand, even a few from Wellington. Low-cost carriers Jetstar and Tiger Airways offer cheap fares between Australia and New Zealand.

By Boat

There are no regular boat connections with other countries. The only feasible way of getting there by boat is by private yacht or the occasional cruise ship.

Getting Around

By Plane

Air New Zealand and Qantas have domestic flights between the main cities, like Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. There are smaller airports served by Air New Zealand Link, owned by Air New Zealand.

By Train

Toll New Zealand and Tranz Scenic Rail are the two operators of train connections in the country. Most main cities are linked and there are even a few overnight trains between Wellington and Auckland, but without the possibility of having a sleeping cabin. One of the most scenic routes in the world is the Tranz Alpine between Christchurch and Greymouth on the South Island. For more information visit Toll New Zealand and/or Tranz Scenic, with schedules and reservations.

By Car

Renting or buying a car is incredibly cheap and easy in New Zealand. Coupled with the relatively short distances it helps explain why road transport is the preferred way to travel around New Zealand. To see the entire country in detail one would need several months, however it is quite possible to see several major attractions in the space of a few weeks when travelling by car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road.

By Bus

As with car transport, the distances and infrastructure make bus travel a great way to see a lot of the country inexpensively. The Kiwi Experience and Stray buses are a popular method to travel by bus as they take smaller roads in smaller buses with a tour guide driving. There are many many different long-distance bus providers in NZ, they are all listed on the Bus and Coach Association New Zealand website. There are two main nationwide bus companies, Intercity and Nakedbus. Intercity are the established operator with the largest number of routes and departures, while nakedbus are the budget operator rather like MegaBus in the UK. The new Nakedbus launched in 2006. They are are cheaper than Intercity on all their routes and have caused Intercity to lower some of their fares.

By Boat

To get from the North to the South Island, and vice versa, there is a regular ferry service between Wellington (North Island) and Picton (South Island). For more information you can visit the Interislander website, which operates the ferries. Here you can check schedules and make reservations.

Red Tape

Always check your passport and visa are still valid before leaving for New Zealand. As a visitor to New Zealand, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan on leaving the country.

The following groups do not need a visa or permit to visit New Zealand:

• A New Zealand citizen or Resident Permit holder
• An Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport
• An Australian resident with a current Australian resident return visa
• A citizen of a country which has a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand.

If you are from one of the 50+ countries that have an agreement with New Zealand, you will not require a visitor's visa as long as you do not stay more than 3 months. To apply for the visa waiver you will need:

• A passport that is valid for at least three months after your planned departure from New Zealand
• An onward or return ticket to a country that you have permission to enter
• Sufficient money to support yourself during your stay - approximately NZ$1000 per month per person
• if you have stayed in New Zealand for up to three months previously you may need to apply for a visa

The New Zealand Immigration Service website^[2] has a list of all nationalities that might apply for a visa waiver agreement. Alternatively, the nearest New Zealand Embassy^[3] will also be able to advise you if you require a visa.

Money

The New Zealand currency is the New Zealand dollar (NZD). 1 dollar is divided into 100 cents. There are 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins. Bills are issued in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Work

Study

Language

English is the main language of New Zealand and is spoken by everyone. Although Maori is an official language it is not spoken much outside Maori circles.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

New Zealand is a safe country to travel in, with low crime figures. When going hiking or walking alone, always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.

Keep Connected

Staying connected in New Zealand is an easy affair in most towns and cities, although naturally if you are heading off the beaten path it can become harder.

Internet

Internet cafés are widely available throughout New Zealand at affordable rates. Besides internet and e-mail services, most big internet cafés also offer some way for travellers to connect their digital camera and burn cds.

Phone

Most payphones in New Zealand require the use of phone cards for payment and it is getting harder to find payphones that accept coins. As phone cards are available at a lot of outlets, they are easy to purchase and very handy as a backup in case of emergencies. Dial 111 for emergency police, fire or ambulance services.

Local calls are free from residential phones and charges for calling outside that area can be found at the front of the regional phone books, amongst many other services.

Post

Most areas have dedicated Post Shops, however stamps can also be bought at grocery shops, supermarkets and book stores. There are two main formats for mail, namely Standard Post and Fast Post. Fast Post is used for international airmail letters as well as next day delivery between major towns and cities, whereas Standard Post will take a few working days to deliver nationwide.