OFFICIAL NAME:

New Zealand

Government

Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: No formal, written constitution.
Independence: Declared a dominion in 1907.

Geography

Area: 270,500 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Wellington (450,600).
Other cities--Auckland (1,237,239), Christchurch (338,748), Hamilton (130,000).
Terrain: Highly varied, from snowcapped mountains to lowland plains.
Climate: Temperate to subtropical.

People

Nationality: Noun--New Zealander(s). Adjective--New Zealand.
Population (2006): 4,181,175.
Annual growth rate (December 2006): 1.1%.
Ethnic groups: European 67.6%, Maori 14.6%, other Polynesian 6.5%, Asian 9.2%.
Religions: Anglican 15.2%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian 10.8%.
Languages: English, Maori, New Zealand Sign Language.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--100%. Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (December 2006)--5.1/1,000. Life expectancy (December 2006)--males 76.3 yrs., females 82.3 yrs.
Work force (December 2006, 1.16 million): Services and government--59%; manufacturing and construction--32%; agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mining--8.9%.


Most of the 4 million New Zealanders are of British origin. About 15% claim descent from the indigenous Maori population, which is of Polynesian origin. Nearly 76% of the people, including a large majority of Maori, live on the North Island. In addition, 265,974 Pacific peoples live in New Zealand. During the late 1870s, natural increase permanently replaced immigration as the chief contributor to population growth and accounted for more than 75% of population growth in the 20th century. Nearly 85% of New Zealand's population lives in urban areas (with almost one-third in Auckland alone), where the service and manufacturing industries are growing rapidly. New Zealanders colloquially refer to themselves as "Kiwis," after the country's native bird.

New Zealand is a country of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and boiling mud. There are also abundant native forests, long, deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi, endemic to its shores.

Any number of vigorous outdoor activities - tramping (hiking), skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous. You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whale-watch or fish for fattened trout in pristine streams and rivers.

When To Go

The weather is never so miserable that there's no point in going to New Zealand: there are things to see and do all year round. The warmer months (November to April) are busiest, especially during the school holidays from December 20 to the end of January. Ski resort towns are obviously busier during the winter months. If you're travelling during peak periods (especially the Christmas season) it's best to book ahead, as much accommodation and transport fills up. It's probably more pleasant to visit either before or after this hectic period, when the weather is still warm and there aren't as many other travellers around.


source: wikipedia.org, lonelyplanet.com, about.com