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Cities | Nature | Climate | History

New Zealand consists of two main islands (North and South Island), a third major island (Steward Island) and several rather small ones. The two main islands are located about 2,000 km East of Australia across the Tasman sea.

The Kiwis, as New Zealanders call themselves, are very friendly and helpful people. You will be received with great hospitality and a warm welcome. New Zealand is also the safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index (2010). The country has no dangerous animals, a stable political climate and keeps itself away from problems of the rest of the world as much as possible.

Nature
New Zealand is a very special country. It is the only one in the world where you find so many different forms of nature in such a small space. New Zealand has everything you can imagine (except deserts): volcanoes, thermal areas, snowy mountains, rolling green hills, plains, large and small lakes in various colors, rivers, fjords, caves, forests, rainforests, stunning white (and black) beaches as well as tropical islands.

Much of the New Zealand landscape has been created through volcanic activity. Earthquakes and eruptions created many of the different landscapes. This process continues to a less violent degree through wind and water. However, volcanic activity still changes the landscape from time to time. Glaciers played also a major role in creating the current landscape of the South Island

The sea plays a major role in New Zealand which is not surprising as this country is a large island - or rather several ones. The sea is not only important in its regard to sculpting the coast but also in relation to legend, history and everyday life. There are many legends relating to the sea, immigration to New Zealand used to be by boat, and today there is much to do in and around the sea. New Zealand is quite successful in sailing - which is also a favorite pastime for many Kiwis (New Zealanders). Other sea-related sports such as surfing, fishing, diving, swimming and kayaking are very popular as well.

Because of the many differences in the landscape, travelling in New Zealand is always fun. You will find something new and interesting to see every day with all these different landscapes to discover. In addition, there are many unique animals and plants to see thanks to its remote island location.

New Zealand's natural beauty has become (even more) famous after the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy was filmed in this country.

New Zealand is known for its wide range of outdoor and extreme sports. You will find virtually everything you can think of! Activities such as bungee jumping, snow-kiting and zorbing were even invented in New Zealand. Everywhere, you are sure to find some kind of outdoor or extreme sport activity but the centre of those are the cities Queenstown and Wanaka, which are completely dedicated to outdoor and extreme sports. So if you are into this, these places should definitely be on your list.

Cities
A large proportion of the population lives in cities and towns. One third alone lives in Auckland, the commercial centre of New Zealand. Other cities include touristy Rotorua, a town with plenty of thermal areas and the centre of Maori culture, and the student town and cultural centre Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.

On the South Island, English-style Christchurch offers plenty of beautiful gardens and historical places. Or you can check your fitness on the steepest street of the world in the Scottish-style city Dunedin. Invercargill is the most southern city and last city before Steward Island and Antarctica. If you like to, you can push your adrenaline levels in Queenstown and Wanaka or simply go skiing or snowboarding.

Climate
New Zealand has a temperate, maritime climate. Summers are usually warm and winters mild. Throughout the year, there may be rainfall, especially on the West coast of the South Island. However, because of its length, temperatures differ quite significantly depending where you are.

The North Island has a rather subtropical climate whereas the South Island profits from a rather polar one with plenty of snow in the mountains. As a result, there are many ski resorts in the Southern Alps where the skiing is wonderful. In the North and East, the South Island is warmer and drier with plenty of sun. As a result, many vineyards can be found here (although the skiing opportunities are never far away). Temperatures range between 20°C (68°F) in summer and 8°C (46°F) in winter on the South Island whereas they range between 25°C (77°F) in summer and 15°C (59°F) in winter on the North Island. Therefore, many fruit and especially the Kiwi plantations can be found here.

History
Very little is known about the early history of New Zealand and the first inhabitants which led to discussions amongst historians. It is now seen as certain that New Zealand was one of the latest parts of the world to be inhabited and that it is a nation of immigrants today.

The first evidence of settlers on the two main islands of New Zealand is provided by the Maori. According to their oral history, it was the seaman Kupe who first discovered New Zealand in the year 900 AD. He gave the country its Maori name 'Aotearoa', meaning 'Land of the long white cloud'. He probably gave it this (fitting) name because on his arrival, low clouds hung over the land. Kupe explored the country before going back to his homeland and about 300 years later, the seven major tribes arrived in New Zealand.  

Abel Tasman, sent by the Dutch government to search land in the Southern hemisphere, was the first European to discover New Zealand. His goal was not only to look for new land but also to determine if trade was possible with the current inhabitants. After discovering Tasmania first, Abel Tasman reached the South Island of New Zealand in 1642 . When he tried to go ashore, he was attacked by Maori who killed some of his crew members. As a result, he did not attempt a second landing but went on sailing to the North Island. However, rough seas prevented him from going ashore. As a result, he returned to the Netherlands with the message that trade was impossible with the people in this far-away country. Nevertheless, the new country was named 'New Zealand' in honor of the Dutch province 'Zeeland' where so many famous maritime heroes came from.

In 1769, James Cook claimed New Zealand for Britain. He had positive experiences with the Maori, which encouraged him to make New Zealand a British colony. In the following years, a slow stream of immigrants arrived, such as whale and seal hunters. At the same time, many valuables were exported without control and trade between the British and Maori flourished. This allowed the different Maori tribes to obtain British weapons in exchange for their crops which made warfare between the tribes very bloody.

This lead various Maori chiefs to ask the British Crown for help which lead to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between nearly 50 Maori chiefs and the British government. In this treaty, the Maori chiefs accorded the British Queen Victoria the right to govern them, allowing her to purchase land for British settlements. In return, the Maori became British subjects with all privileges and protection attached to this status. Furthermore, their right to their way of living and ownership of their land, forests and fisheries was assured . Today, this founding treaty of New Zealand is still very important as there are two versions (and English and a Maori one) which imply slight differences in the interpretation and most Maori chiefs just signed the Maori version. In addition, the treaty was not adhered to at all times. Hostilities flared up from time to time, but now mostly between the British settlers and the Maori tribes. With this historical situation in mind, the Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal was founded to resolve any issues arising from this treaty, which cause discussion even today from time to time.

In 1861, gold was found on the South Island and an incredible gold fever broke out. Many cities grew extremely fast with the onrush of immigrants. Following the gold rush, the government invested a lot of money in the export of wool and meat, which are two main export products even today.

Maori culture declined as more and more Maori moved to the cities and lost touch with their traditional way of life to adopt Western culture and values. Today, interest in Maori culture rises, making Maori culture an increasingly important part of the New Zealand identity. Together with the growing cultural diversity, New Zealand gets a more independent identity as a Pacific state within the international community in contrast to the identity as a former British state.

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