In the southwest of the Pacific Ocean is a state New Zealand. It occupies two large islands - South and North. He also owns about 700 small islands.
For Europeans, New Zealand became famous in 1642. Prior to this period, the islands were inhabited by Polynesians. The development of local territories began with the travels of the British. Due to its geographical isolation, New Zealand has long remained difficult to reach land. Australia is the closest western neighbor; north of Zealand are the lands of New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.
The number of inhabitants is approximately 4.4 million. New Zealand is a democratic state organized in the form of a limited monarchy. The country is one of the most developed in the world.
The vast majority of the country's population are New Zealanders, descendants of immigrants from European countries. Indigenous people, Maori, are now small in number, accounting for only 16%. Asians and Polynesians make up 9 and 6%, respectively.
A feature of the demography of New Zealand is the fact that a significant proportion of the population is periodically or permanently located outside the state. Many go to Australia and the UK, but at the same time remain true patriots and worthy citizens of their country.
56% of residents consider themselves Christians. Other major diasporas were Sikhs, Indians and Muslims.
Especially noteworthy is the presence in New Zealand of three official languages at once: English, Maori and sign language. The New Zealand version of English is in many ways similar to the Australian dialect. However, it contains significantly more impurities of Irish and Scottish pronunciation. Sign language is used to communicate with people with auditory abnormalities. It was based on British sign language.
Money in New Zealand appeared with the advent of Europeans. Prior to this, there was a natural exchange (barter). After the British landing, the pounds sterling became widespread as a monetary unit. But since 1967, New Zealand was converted to the decimal system using the dollar and the cent.
New Zealand - the capital and major cities
Wellington became the capital of New Zealand. This is not the largest city in the country in terms of population, it is only in third place in terms of this indicator. The name of the capital was in honor of the famous British commander Arthur Wesley (1st Duke of Wellington). Indigenous people use three names at once in their everyday life - "Te Fanga-nui-a-Tara", "Poneke" and "Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Maui". The British gave several unofficial nicknames to Wellington - "Capital Bay", "Wellwood" and "City of the Winds".
Wellington is a modern and beautiful city. Its architectural appearance is a harmonious combination of buildings from the 19-20 centuries, as well as the newest buildings, made in fashionable stylistic directions. The building of the parliament, the locals nicknamed the hive for its unusual round shape.
Other major cities in New Zealand are Auckland with 1.29 million inhabitants, Christchurch - 378 thousand, Hamilton. - 163 thousand
New Zealand - Holidays and Tours
Tourism has become one of the leading areas of economic development in New Zealand. Attracting travelers is facilitated by a high level of service, favorable natural and climatic conditions, as well as the convenience of traveling around the country by various means of transport. Today, the share of profit from the tourism sector is about 10% of the budget.
The bulk of tourists are Australians. Recently, guests from the United States, Germany, Japan and China have come to New Zealand more and more often.
From the beginning of November to the month of April, the bathing season is open on the North Island of New Zealand. Beach holidays are a favorite way of spending time for most visitors to the country. The south island also has equipped beaches, but in these latitudes the swimming and sunbathing season is somewhat shorter - from December to March. The most visited beaches in the country were recreation areas of the Karamandel Peninsula, Waikiki Islands, the Karikari Peninsula and Hot Worter Beach (known for hot mineral springs).
Many locals are keen on diving in New Zealand, and tourists are also given the opportunity to plunge into the depths of the sea. The most attractive places for such entertainment are located on the North Island. The islands of the Three Kings, The Poor Knights Islands (as the famous Jacques-Yves Cousteau called them), Goat Island, Fiordland have earned a reputation as the best centers for scuba diving.
One of the most interesting areas of tourism is the observation of volcanoes. In the land of New Zealand, the Volcanic Plateau provides an opportunity to take a look at the wonderful and formidable natural phenomena. It is located in the middle of the North Island. In addition to the volcanoes themselves, here you can see erupting geysers, hot mineral springs, mud lakes. Also this zone is characterized by frequent tremors.
Here is the one of a kind Poirenga River. In it you can catch fish, in it you can also cook it. The water of the river supply springs does not have time to mix quickly, so you can stand in a cold and hot river at the same time. The most spectacular places for tourists are the areas of the active volcanoes Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.
In New Zealand there is the opportunity to ride the waves. Surfing is mainly done during the swimming season, as at other times the water becomes quite cold.
There are mountains in New Zealand with ski slopes. North Island has a ski center with Turoa and Whahapapa parks. The skiing period lasts from June to October. On the South Island, the season begins much earlier. Mount Hutt and the Wanaka area have become famous places for skiers.
New Zealand is rich in national park areas. Today, state-protected plots occupy 8% of the entire territory. Natural landscapes are conquered by the grandeur of volcanic sites on the North Island and the splendor of the fjords and mighty glaciers - on the South.
This country has become a world center for extreme tourists. The advent of new dangerous entertainment in New Zealand is a common occurrence. Queenstown is considered the capital of madmen. Here you can see:
• jumping from tall buildings (bungee jumping),
• crossings on "black water" (depth of tours - 100 meters underground on cave rivers),
• skiing down the slope after jumping from an airplane (heliskiing),
• rafting (rafting through gutters),
• kayaking (rafting on gutters in kayaks),
• Zorb - downhill slopes inside a ball consisting of two spheres.
New Zealand Attractions
For excursion tourism, New Zealand cities offer a rich list of attractions. In Wellington, Mount Victoria is considered the main destination, with a magnificent view of the city.
In Auckland (the most populated area of the country), several viewing platforms have been created at once, from which you can see all the surroundings. Most of these special places are located on the equipped peaks of extinct volcanoes. Mount Eden is the highest point with the best panoramic views.
In Christchurch, tourists are invited to visit the art gallery, botanical garden and the University of Canterbury.
Tourists are also interested in trips to volcanoes, geysers and hot rivers. Also often visited were parks and protected areas of New Zealand.
New Zealand - weather (climate)
Due to the large extent of the state, the climate changes from temperate in the south and in the center to warm, subtropical in the north of the country. It is always cold in the mountains; an alpine type of climate prevails here.
As for precipitation, a sufficient amount falls in the western part of the country, and in the east the climate is arid. The average rainfall is from 600 to 1600 mm, depending on the territory and time of the year.
The average air temperature is not too high - +10 degrees in the southern regions and +16 - in the north. July is the coldest month of the year, while January and February are the hottest. The difference is insignificant between season temperatures only in the north of New Zealand. The weather records in this country are not very impressive - for the warmer months, the highest temperature is recorded at around +31 degrees. In winter, below -2 degrees, the temperature does not drop anywhere.
Weather in New Zealand now:
New Zealand - Cuisine
Due to the long period of isolation of New Zealand from the developed world powers, traditions, customs and culture were formed distinctively. The local cuisine is interesting in that for a long time only products located exclusively on the islands of this state were used. Europeans made their adjustments to the tradition.
The most popular dishes are fish and chips. New Zealand cuisine had almost no effect on world culinary. However, local wines are well known.
Now New Zealand is preparing almost all the dishes of the world, which was the result of a large flow of immigrants from Europe, Asia and other countries. Anglo-Saxon cuisine is dominant.
New Zealand has become the world's most powerful meat producer and supplier. Lamb, pork, beef - the traditional basis of any menu. In large quantities, fish is cooked here, and the side dish is most often fried potatoes. Other vegetables are consumed, but they are used as part of complex dishes.
New Zealand desserts are fresh fruits sprinkled with whipped cream.
New Zealand - interesting facts
An unofficial symbol of New Zealand was the kiwi bird - the original non-flying individual from the feathered family. Kiwi is so beloved and popular here that it was named after a fruit that resembles a bird's feather in color and surface quality. Kiwi fruits are exported to many countries around the world. New Zealand is a leading provider of this overseas delicacy.
New Zealand - visa application
For citizens of the CIS and Russia, New Zealand has a strict visa regime. The term for consideration of the application can be up to 14 days, while visa documents should be submitted at least one and a half months before the trip.
Visa is issued through the embassy of the country. The consular department provides:
• Passport with a 3-month validity period,
• Application form with photo (filled in English),
• Currency purchase certificates,
• Invitation (if any)
New Zealand - Embassy
In Moscow, the New Zealand Embassy is located at 44 Povarskaya Street. Tel .: (7-095) 956-3579.
New Zealand Map
