About NZ

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 forest reserves, 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 the many streams.

The people, bound in a culture that melds European with Maori ancestry, are resourceful, helpful and overwhelmingly friendly. The extraordinary place names - try Te Awamutu, Whangamomona or Paekakariki for tongue-trippers - are resonant and, with a modicum of practice, easy to pronounce.

Because it's such a compact place, travel within New Zealand - whether by plane, bus, rail, car or bicycle - is affordable and efficient. Accommodation too is cheap and varied. And the culinary promise of venison, fresh seafood, sublime ice cream and award-winning wines should more than whet the appetite.

:: History :

The Polynesian navigator Kupe has been credited with the discovery of New Zealand around AD 800. Legend has it his wife, Hine-te-aparangi, named it Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud. The legend continues that centuries later, around AD 1350, a great migration of people from Kupe's homeland of Hawaiki followed his navigational instructions and sailed to New Zealand, eventually supplanting or mixing with previous residents. Their culture, developed over centuries without any discernible outside influence, was hierarchical and often sanguinary.

When the British began their antipodean colonising, New Zealand was originally seen as an offshoot of Australian enterprise in whaling and sealing: in fact, from 1839 to 1841 the country was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales. However, increased European settlement soon proved problematic: a policy was urgently required regarding land deals between the settlers (Pakeha) and the Maori.

By the late 19th century, the discovery of gold had engendered much prosperity, and wide-scale sheep farming meant New Zealand became an efficient and mostly self-reliant country. Sweeping social changes - women's suffrage, social security, the encouragement of trade unions and the introduction of child care services - cemented New Zealand's reputation as a country committed to egalitarian reform.

:: Climate :

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.

:: Culture :

It's not just about rugby... New Zealand art is multifarious, valuing innovation, integrity and craftsmanship that reflects Pakeha, Maori and Melanesian heritage.The music scene is vigorous and has spawned a pool of talent, from Split Enz and Crowded House to the thrashing guitar pyrotechnics of Dunedin's 3Ds and Straitjacket Fits.

:: Transport :

Although New Zealand is compact and generally easy to get around, it makes good sense to fly - especially for the views over the mountains or volcanoes.

New Zealand also has an extensive bus network, with the main operator being InterCity (servicing both the North Island and South Island).

Main train routes are few, though train travel is reasonably fast. Trains are modern and comfortable.

Car travel (New Zealanders drive on the left) is recommended as the roads are good and well signposted and the distances short. Rentals of cars, motorcycles and campervans are popular.

And finally, there's always cycling around the country. Many travellers describe New Zealand as a cyclists' paradise: it's clean, green, uncrowded and unspoiled.

:: Facts for the travelers :

Area: 268,680 sq km

Population: 4 million

People: 75% New Zealand European (Pakeha), 10% Maori, 5% other European, 4.5% Polynesian, 5% Asian, 0.5% other

Language: Maori, English

Government: Independent
member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II

Visas: Only a valid passport is necessary for citizens of most countries.

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +12

Dialling Code: 64

Electricity: 230V ,50Hz

Weights & measures: Metric

About NZ

Sheep in a meadow