Explore New Zealand

About New Zealand

New Zealand is a country comprised of a group of South Pacific islands east of Australia. It is part of both Australasia and Polynesia. New Zealand has two main islands and a number of outlying smaller islands.

Demographics

Around 69% of the population is of European decent. The native Maori comprise around 15% of the population, while Asians make up nearly 10%.

New Zealand has three official languages, English, Te Reo Māori, and New Zealand sign language. English is the dominant language while Te Reo Māori is the native language.

New Zealand was the last country on Earth to be discovered and inhabited. It is arguably the most geographically isolated country in the world. Today, the country has a low population density of around 17 people per km. Over half of the country’s citizens identify as Christians while one-third claim no religious affiliation.

Geography

The landscapes of New Zealand are beautiful and varied. It is a mountainous country with the biggest range located in the South Island. Called the Southern Alps, they extend in a north-south direction for 450 km (280 mi). There are over 24 peaks higher than 3000 metres (9842 feet) with the top 30 peaks being over 2950 metres (9678 feet). While there are some significant plains in New Zealand, the majority of the landscape is hilly or mountainous.

The North Island has a main belt of mountains too. While not as significant as the South Island’s South Alps, they are high enough to get snow during the winter months. This mountain chain is divided into four main sections. Included is the Remutaka, Tararua, Ruahine, and Urewera ranges.

Both the main islands in New Zealand have rich temperate rain forests filled with rare and unusual animals including unique bird species. Birds occupy New Zealand ecosystems that other animals occupy elsewhere in the world.

The coastline of New Zealand is very long for a small country. It amounts to nearly the same length as the coastline in continental USA. The best beaches in New Zealand can be found in the north and eastern coasts of both islands. The western coasts are generally more rugged with black sand beaches and bigger surf.

The mountainous terrain of New Zealand exists because the islands straddle the boundary of the Pacific and Australian plates. It is part of the notorious ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’. Earthquakes and eruptions are common in New Zealand. While this can be hazardous at times, it is also why New Zealand has spectacular landscapes.

Volcanoes

The North Island has some significant volcanic peaks including Mt Ruapehu, the highest peak in the North Island. Nearby Lake Taupo in the center of the island is the scene of the biggest volcanic eruption in the world in the last 70,000 years. It also had a smaller eruption around the year 180 AD, but that eruption still holds the record for the biggest eruption in the world for the last 5000 years. Nearby Rotorua has volcanic features that rival other volcanic sites around the world like Yellowstone and Iceland.

Climate

New Zealand’s climate is mostly temperate, although the extreme north is considered sub-tropical and is dubbed ‘The Winterless North’. Due to high mountain ranges and volcanoes, New Zealand has a superb ski industry and because winter is the opposite time of the year to the Northern Hemisphere, it is a major destination for skiers during the northern hemisphere’s summer.

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Top 10 places to visit

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland is a vast area of fiords, steep mountains, lush rain forests, and countless waterfalls including some of the tallest on Earth;

Queenstown

Queenstown is a busy town that never sleeps. During the winter it is one of the Southern Hemisphere’s premier skiing destinations. In summer there is trekking and sight-seeing. Dubbed ‘The Adrenalin Capital of the World’, it hosts multiple sites for jet boating and bungee jumping, which are both New Zealand inventions;

Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman contains the best beaches in New Zealand. These beaches exist in a natural state within a sunny climate. The park contains golden sand, crystal clear water, native forests, and many native bird species. Outside the park are scenic towns, often with their own beautiful beaches like Kaiteriteri.

Rotorua

Rotorua is famous for its varied volcanic attractions and rich Maori culture. It is near New Zealand’s biggest city, (Auckland), which helps make Rotorua the most popular tourist destination in the country.

The Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands is a group of scenic islands in the sub-tropical north of the country. It’s a great place for bathing, fishing, boating, and just enjoying the warm climate. It also has a rich colonial history.

The Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel near Auckland city is surrounded on nearly every side by the sea. It has stunning beaches and cliffs. Inland the landscape contains many extinct volcanic cones that rise above the rich temperate rain forest.

Mount Cook National Park

Mount Cook is home to New Zealand’s highest peaks. This is where Sir Edmund Hillary trained before he became the first man to climb Mount Everest. The park also contains a number of other tall mountain peaks and glaciers.

Tongariro National Park & Lake Taupo

Both Tongariro and Taupo in the central North Island are home to most of the country’s volcanoes. Mount Ruapehu is the highest volcano in the country with nearby Lake Taupo being the largest volcano and lake. Taupo is one of the most destructive super volcanoes in the world. Other volcanoes include Ngauruhoe and Tongariro.

Westland National Park

Westland is a popular reserve for tourists. Located on the South Island’s Westcoast, it is home to steep mountain peaks, lush rain forests, and glaciers that come closer to the coast than anywhere else in the world (outside the earth’s polar regions).

Poor Knights Islands

The Poor Knights Islands are a small group of uninhabited islands off the east coast of Northland in the North Island. They are a nature reserve that contain the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve. Diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau classed it as one of the top 10 dive spots in the world with its colorful coral and fish species.

Top 5 cities by population

Auckland

Auckland is the country’s biggest city. It is located on a volcanic field with suburbs extending up and around extinct volcanic cones. There are two natural harbors and a number of outlying islands. With so much water surrounding Auckland, it seems natural that Aucklanders take to boating. The city is dubbed ‘The City of Sails’ and has more boats per-capita than any other city in the world.

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located around a beautiful harbor with the suburbs that extend up and over steep hills that surround the CBD and harbor. The city is similar to San Francisco. Think of hills anbd steep streets, wooden homes, and views of a spectacular harbor and outlying mountains. The city also has a number of beaches, with beautiful Oriental Bay being only one 5 minutes from the CBD.

Christchurch

Christchurch is a city that looks like it belongs in England. It was purposefully designed and constructed this way by English pioneers. It is ironic to think that the city is also the most distant city in the world from England, a testament to the extent of the British Empire.  Unfortunately, the city center was devastated by a series of huge earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Christchurch has recovered, but the city is still in rebuild mode.

Hamilton

Hamilton is New Zealand’s largest inland city. Located in the richest dairy area in the world. The city is built on the banks of the Waikato, the biggest river in the country. The surrounding lush countryside epitomizes rural New Zealand with rolling green hills and sheep. The famous Waitomo Caves are located nearby as is the popular seaside settlement of Raglan, which has the best surf break in the country.

Dunedin

Dunedin city was named using the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. While it doesn’t look much like the Scottish capital, it could easily be mistaken as being located in Scotland. The landscape was chosen by Scottish settlers because it looked similar to their own country. The city has a statue of Robbie Burns in the city center as a reminder of its Scottish heritage. That aside, the city and surrounds are endowed with a beautiful harbor, beaches, and even wildlife reserves where penguins and the giant albatross exist.