Sydney (+61 2) 8825 9300
Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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New Zealand
New Zealand is a unique land of breathtaking scenery that includes some of nature’s most surreal and
stupendous ideas, from flightless birds to gigantic kauri trees. Superlatives abound here and visitors may struggle
to adequately describe everything they see and experience.
Thrust into the world’s spotlight by the success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the country has seen a massive surge in visitor numbers
and continues to reap the benefits of this cinematic triumph; and if the country overwhelmed and wowed viewers on the big screen, it’ll
leave them breathless when they arrive and explore its remote, rugged and remarkable landscape in reality.
New Zealand is deceptively diverse and complex, punching well above its weight in terms of what it can offer to both the first-time and
repeat visitor. The North Island is less dramatic visually than its southern counterpart, but is home to around two thirds of the country’s
inhabitants. The majority of the major urban centres are here, including the capital Wellington and the largest city Auckland, creating a
vibrant and multicultural region. But nature’s still a major player, with volcanoes, swathes of forest, gushing rivers, spectacular thermal
regions and a mass of outdoor activities to undertake.
The South Island, in contrast, is home to far fewer people, but boasts the country’s most spectacular scenery. Empty beaches, soaring
mountain ranges, glaciers, fjords and wide-open expanses are all waiting to be discovered. Outdoor enthusiasts are really spoilt for choice,
with superb tramping (hiking), cycling, climbing, white-water rafting, caving and other adrenaline-fuelled activities such as zorbing and, of
course, bungee jumping on offer.
New Zealand revels in its status as a world leader for ecotourism and has developed into one of the cleanest and greenest countries in
the world. There are 14 national parks throughout the country and almost a quarter of New Zealand is protected land. Home to a mass of
animals and birds including the reclusive kiwi, fur seals, yellow-eyed penguins, Hooker’s sea lions, dolphins and whales, New Zealand is
also a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers. Native trees and indigenous flora provide spectacular surrounds in which to seek out
these local residents.
Pair the country’s natural traits with a cultural resurgence that’s seeing local films, literature, painting, sculpture and design gaining more
and more attention, and there’s a destination that’s becoming increasingly cosmopolitan. Maori culture is thriving and the overall blend
of indigenous and European culture provides a unique combination that’s worth exploring in galleries, museums and theatres across the
country. Throw in some exceptional local food and world-class wine, a slow food scene, thriving café culture, and a mass of regional
specialities, and there’s yet another reason to tour the country.
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Sydney (+61 2) 8825 9300
Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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Essentially, New Zealand is everything a visitor could envisage and much more. Once considered a far-flung, distant backwater, the
land affectionately known as Aotearoa (The Land of the Long White Cloud) in Maori, is now a sophisticated, cosmopolitan, welcoming
destination for travellers of all interests. If visitors take the time to tour the country and to escape the crowds and clichés, their senses will
be bombarded and they will come away with one powerful memory after another.
New Zealand Geography
New Zealand is located near the centre of the water hemisphere and is made up of two main islands and a number of smaller islands.
The two main islands (the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Maui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu) are separated by the Cook Strait, 22
kilometres (14 mi) wide at its narrowest point. Besides the North and South Islands, the five largest inhabited islands are Stewart Island, the
Chatham Islands, Great Barrier Island (in the Hauraki Gulf), d’Urville Island (in the Marlborough Sounds) and Waiheke Island (about 22 km
(14 mi) from central Auckland).The country’s islands lie between latitudes 29° and 53°S, and longitudes 165° and 176°E.
New Zealand Facts
New Zealand Facts
Full country name:
New Zealand
Area:
268,021 sq. km
Population:
4,537,081
People:
74% Chinese
Language:
English, Maori, Samoan, French, Hindi and Northern Chinese
Religion:
74.0% European
14.9% Maori
1.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American, African
Government:
Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Monarch:
Elizabeth II
Prime Minister:
John Key
Major industries:
Agriculture, horticulture, fishing, forestry and mining
Major trading partners:
Australia, United States, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom
Health risks:
None
Time:
NZST (UTC+12)
Electricity:
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs have three angled flat pins. Most hotels provide 110-volt AC sockets (rated at 20
13% Malay
9% Indian
3% Others
11.8% Asian
1.7% Other
7.4% Pacific peoples
watts) for electric razors only.
County code:
+64
Mobile Phone network:
GSM 900, GSM 1800, 3G
Weights & measures:
Metric with local variations
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Sydney (+61 2) 8825 9300
Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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New Zealand is long and narrow (over 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) along its north-north-east axis with a maximum width of 400 kilometres
(250 mi)), with about 15,000 km (9,300 mi) of coastline and a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi) Because of its
far-flung outlying islands and long coastline, the country has extensive marine resources. Its Exclusive Economic Zone, one of the largest in
the world, covering more than 15 times its land area.
The South Island is the largest landmass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. There are 18 peaks over
3,000 metres (9,800 ft), the highest of which is Aoraki / Mount Cook 3,754 metres (12,316 ft.). Fiordland’s steep mountains and deep
fiords record the extensive ice age glaciation of this south-western corner of the South Island. The North Island is less mountainous but is
marked by volcanism. The highly active Taupo Volcanic Zone has formed a large volcanic plateau, punctuated by the North Island’s highest
mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2,797 metres (9,177 ft.)). The plateau also hosts the country’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, nestled in the caldera
of one of the world’s most active super volcanoes.
New Zealand has a mild and temperate maritime climate (Köppen: Cfb) with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) in the
south to 16 °C (61 °F) in the north. Historical maxima and minima are 42.4 °C (108.32 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury and −25.6 °C (−14.08
°F) in Ranfurly, Otago. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid
in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. Of the seven largest cities, Christchurch is the
driest, receiving on average only 640 millimetres (25 in) of rain per year and Auckland the wettest, receiving almost twice that amount.
Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average of more than 2,000 hours of sunshine. The southern and south-western
parts of the South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours; the northern and north-eastern parts of the
South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive about 2,400–2,500 hours. The general snow season is about early June until
early October in the South Island. It is less common on the North Island, although it does occur.
New Zealand Culture
Early Maori adapted the tropically based east Polynesian culture in line with the challenges associated with a larger and more diverse
environment, eventually developing their own distinctive culture. Social organisation was largely communal with families (whanau), subtribes (hapu) and tribes (iwi) ruled by a chief (rangatira) whose position was subject to the community’s approval. The British and Irish
immigrants brought aspects of their own culture to New Zealand and also influenced Maori culture, particularly with the introduction of
Christianity. However, Maori still regard their allegiance to tribal groups as a vital part of their identity, and Maori kinship roles resemble
those of other Polynesian peoples. More recently American, Australian, Asian and other European cultures have exerted influence on New
Zealand. Non-Maori Polynesian cultures are also apparent, with Pasifika, the world’s largest Polynesian festival, now an annual event in
Auckland.
The largely rural life in early New Zealand led to the image of New Zealanders being rugged, industrious problem solvers. Modesty was
expected and enforced through the “tall poppy syndrome”, where high achievers received harsh criticism. At the time New Zealand was
not known as an intellectual country. From the early 20th century until the late 1960s Maori culture was suppressed by the attempted
assimilation of Maori into British New Zealanders. In the 1960s, as higher education became more available and cities expanded urban
culture began to dominate. Even though the majority of the population now lives in cities, much of New Zealand’s art, literature, film and
humour has rural themes.
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Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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Religion in New Zealand
Christianity is the predominant religion in New Zealand, although its society is among the most secular in the world. In the 2006 Census,
55.6 percent of the population identified themselves as Christians, while another 34.7 percent indicated that they had no religion (up from
29.6 percent in 2001) and around 4 percent affiliated with other religions. The main Christian denominations are Anglicanism (14.8 percent),
Roman Catholicism (13.6 percent),Presbyterianism (10.7 percent) and Methodism (5 percent). There are also significant numbers of
Christians who identify themselves with Pentecostal, Baptist, and Latter-day Saint churches. According to census figures, other significant
minority religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. The indigenous Maori tend to be associated with Presbyterian and Latter-day
Saint churches, but the census showed that the New Zealand-based Ringatuand Ratana religions had experienced considerable growth.
Language in New Zealand
English is the predominant language in New Zealand, spoken by 98 percent of the population .New Zealand English is similar to Australian
English and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the accents apart. The most prominent differences between
the New Zealand English dialect and other English dialects are the shifts in the short front vowels: the short-”i” sound (as in “kit”) has
centralised towards the schwasound (the “a” in “comma” and “about”); the short-”e” sound (as in “dress”) has moved towards the short-”i”
sound; and the short-”a” sound (as in “trap”) has moved to the short-”e” sound. Hence, the New Zealand pronunciation of words such as
“bad”, “dead”, “fish” and “chips” sound like “bed”, “did”, “fush” and “chups” to non-New Zealanders.
After the Second World War, Maori were discouraged from speaking their own language (te reo Maori) in schools and workplaces and it
existed as a community language only in a few remote areas. It has recently undergone a process of revitalisation, being declared one
of New Zealand’s official languages in 1987, and is spoken by 4.1 percent of the population. There are now Maori language immersion
schools and two Maori Television channels, the only nationwide television channels to have the majority of their prime-time content
delivered in Maori. Many places have both their Maori and English names officially recognised. Samoan is one of the most widely spoken
languages in New Zealand (2.3 percent), followed by French, Hindi, Yue and Northern Chinese. New Zealand Sign Language is used by
about 28,000 people. It was declared one of New Zealand’s official languages in 2006
Events and Public Holidays
Public Holidays
Date
Holiday name
Holiday type
Jan 1
New Year's Day
National holiday
Jan 2
Day after New Years Day
National holiday
Feb 6
Waitangi Day
National holiday
Feb 14
Valentine's Day
Observance
Apr 18
Good Friday
National holiday
Apr 19
Holy Saturday
Observance
Apr 20
Easter Day
Observance
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Sydney (+61 2) 8825 9300
Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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Apr 21
Easter Monday
National holiday
Apr 25
Anzac Day
National holiday
May 11
Mothers' Day
Observance
Jun 2
Queen's Birthday
National holiday
Sep 7
Father's Day
Observance
Oct 27
Labour Day
National holiday
Oct 31
Halloween
Observance
Dec 24
Christmas Eve
Observance
Dec 25
Christmas Day
National holiday
Dec 26
Boxing Day
National holiday
Dec 31
New Year's Eve
Observance
General Information
Office hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1700.
Economy
New Zealand is primarily thought of as an agricultural country and, although the sector employs less than 10% of the workforce and
contributes just 5% of GDP, it accounts for 30% of the country’s export income, primarily from wool, meat, dairy and wood products.
Energy-related natural resources, principally coal but also natural gas, have been heavily developed. There are also deposits of iron, gold
and silica.
Between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s, New Zealand underwent one of the most radical economic transformations of any Western
industrialised country, with wholesale privatisation, abolition of subsidies, tariff barriers and corporate regulations, and dismantling of many
welfare systems (although spending has risen sharply to tackle the pensions crisis afflicting the developed world). The reforms have also led
to New Zealand being more dependent on foreign trade.
Like the global economy, New Zealand slipped into a recession in 2008, amid drought, high energy costs and a housing market slump.
The economy pulled out of recession late in 2009, however, and achieved 1.7% growth in 2010 and 2% in 2011. Despite this growth, trade
sectors remain delicately poised.
Australia is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, and the two governments have established a completely free trading regime. New
Zealand is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the South Pacific Forum and the AsianPacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum.
The largest conference centres are in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. Many hotels also have facilities. There are more than 20
regional convention bureaux in New Zealand, most of which are members of Conventions and Incentives New Zealand.
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Sydney (+61 2) 8825 9300
Melbourne (+61 3) 9799 5800
Brisbane (+61 7) 3348 2500
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Telephone
Most public phones take cards purchased from bookstalls; some also accept credit cards, but very few still accept coins.
Mobile phone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.
Internet
There are internet cafés in cities and town central business districts. Travellers can access the internet at many hotels and youth hostels.
Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes four to five days and to the USA three to 10 days.
Post office hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1700 and Sat 0900-1230 in some larger towns.
Media
New Zealand’s media scene is very liberal and the broadcasting sector was deregulated in 1988. Television stations include the stateowned Television New Zealand (Channels One, Two, Six and Seven), the private TV3 and Prime TV, and the public Maori Television. Radio
broadcasters include Radio New Zealand, the Pacific Island-focused Niu FM, and the Maori-language Ruia Mai.
The English-language daily newspapers with the highest circulation include the New Zealand Herald,The Dominion Post, Otago Daily Times
and The Press. For current affairs, look out for a copy of North and South. Other quality periodicals include New Zealand Geographic, New
Zealand Wilderness and New Zealand Outside.
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