New Zealand Facts

New Zealand is located in the southern Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,600 kilometers (995 miles) southeast of Australia. The country is comprised of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, with several smaller islands of which the combined total land area is 270,534 sq. kilometers. This is somewhere in between the size of Japan and the United Kingdom.

New Zealand’s geography includes spectacular landscapes, incorporating the vast mountain chain of the Southern Alps (larger than the French, Austrian and Swiss Alps combined), the volcanic region of the North Island, and the South Island which includes fiords, glaciers, lakes, rainforests and extensive grassy plains.

New Zealand experiences summer from December to February and winter from June to August. The climate is temperate with little extremes. Any huge variations in temperature can be accounted for by the combination of the mountainous geography and prevailing westerly winds.

With its great geographic diversity New Zealand lends itself to outdoor recreation with a huge range of activities on offer, Tramping, Camping, Skiing, Boating, and Hunting just a few of the most common. Kiwi's are very keen on sports and xtreme sports such as bungie jumping, mountain biking, caving, and diving.

The total population of New Zealand is approximately 4.3 million, with Auckland being the largest city with a population of 1.4 million. It is the eighth largest city in the world in terms of spread. Wellington, found at the bottom of the North Island, is the capital of New Zealand and is home to Parliament, its population is approximatly 340,000. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island with a population of 334,000. Other major urban areas in the North Island include Hamilton (166,000), Napier-Hastings (114,000), and in the South Island, Dunedin (107,000).

The major cities are becoming increasingly diverse and offer a wide range of attractions. New Zealand is the gateway to affordable holiday destinations around the South Pacific - home to the Tongan, Fijian, and Vanuatu Islands .

For information and links regarding what to see and do in New Zealand we recommend the official Destination New Zealand site at http://www.newzealand.com/

For official facts and figures on New Zealand visit http://www.tourisminfo.govt.nz

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