Where are we

New Zealand can be found 2000 km South East of Australia, roughly a three hour flight and was formed by two techtonic plates pushing up against each other. In fact New Zealand is still "growing" as these plates are still shifting closer together.

Breathtakingly Beautiful with a twist

The downside to this is that New Zealand is prone to earthquakes and has some volcanoes that could erupt at some stage in the future. Did you know that New Zealand has between 10000 and 15000 earthquakes annually, but the majority are so insignificant that most happen unnoticed. On the positive side this movement of the continental plates has formed one of the most stunning countries on the planet. With majestic mountain ranges and with what seems like a sandy beach wherever you look making New Zealand a premiere tourist spot and a dream destination for immigrants.

Country of two islands

The country consists of two large islands (called the North and South Islands) with thousands of smaller islands sprinkled around them. New Zealand is known for its easy climate as the temperatures don’t fluctuate so wildly between summer and winter months as is the case with most European countries. In New Zealand the temperature seldom goes below 0 degrees celcius in winter and usually reaches the mid to high twenties in summer. The farther South you live in winter, the lower the temperature.

Aotearoa

New Zealand is also often called Aotearoa, which in Maori translates into "the land of the long white cloud". Most notably in winter the air from the large warm continent of Australia and the chilly Antarctic air meet to create gigantic swirls of clouds that drift over the country. This then means that most places have a yearly rainfall of approximately 600mm to 1600mm. The wet season is thus in winter, though we do get showers all year round.

Outdoor living

In summer the focus is squarely on outdoor activities, with the four million strong population utilising most of their off periods outdoors during this time. With the turn of the season comes an end to the rain and the beginning of daylight saving time. Extended summer days are enjoyed walking on the shore, visiting with family and of course water sports like boating, surfing, windsurfing and kite boarding are very popular. Fishing is also a very popular past time in New Zealand with some of the best fly and trout fishing spots.

What drives the economy

The New Zealand economy is largely based on the farming and export industries, especially the dairy, wine and fruit industries. There is also a fast growing film industry with many of the latest Hollywood movies being shot in New Zealand. The most famous of those is the Lord of the Rings series. There are also vibrant IT centres in Auckland and Wellington.