Approximate length of New Zealand. North Island in New Zealand. North Island National Parks

The geographical position of New Zealand is as follows: it is an island state located in the Pacific Ocean, in its southwestern part, southeast of Australia, approximately 1930 km. The main territory of the country includes two islands, which have corresponding names - North Island and South Island. The islands are separated by Cook Strait. The width of the strait is 107 km. The country includes another 61 islands, which are significantly smaller in area.

The total area of ​​the country is 268,680 square meters. km. In addition to the area of ​​the main islands, this also includes the area of ​​Auckland Islands, Antipodes Islands, Bounty Islands, Chatham Islands, Campbell Islands and Kermadec Islands. In terms of area, this makes it smaller than Japan and Italy, and slightly larger than the UK. The length of the coastline of this country is 15,134 kilometers.

South Island

The South Island is the largest island that makes up New Zealand. About one-fourth of the population of the entire country lives here. From north to south, mountains stretch along the island - the Southern Alps. Their highest peak is called Mount Aoraki or Mount Cook, with a height of 3754 meters. In addition to this peak, there are 18 more of them on the South Island, with heights above 3000 meters.

The eastern side of the island is flatter and is almost entirely occupied by agricultural farms. The West Coast is less densely populated. Large tracts of almost untouched nature with virgin flora and fauna have been preserved here. The western part is also popular for the fjords and glaciers that slide into the Tasman Sea along the slopes of the Southern Alps, as well as numerous national parks.

Unlike the fjords of Norway or Chile, the local fjords have not yet experienced human activity - this place belongs only to scientists and tourists, and in some corners no human foot has ever set foot here. The biggest ornithological discovery of the 20th century was made here - Jeffrey Orbell found Takahe here in 1948, a unique bird the size of a goose. This colorful flightless bird, long thought extinct, has been found here in the fjords of New Zealand.

That is, the geographical location of New Zealand makes it possible for the islands to preserve flora and fauna almost completely intact since Jurassic times.

North Island

The North Island is less mountainous than the South Island. The highest point of this island is the active volcano Ruapehu, whose height is 2797 meters.

The North Island is characterized by high volcanic activity; out of six volcanic zones in the country, five are located on it. In the heart of the North Island lies Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. The Waikato River originates from it and is 425 km long, making it the longest river in New Zealand.

Geysers erupt from the ground here and hot springs flow. This seismological activity can be explained by the fact that New Zealand is located at the junction of the lithospheric plates, and they are still turbulent. This geographical location of New Zealand has made the local nature incredibly diverse and turned it into a kind of tourist Mecca. Vacationers can see glaciers, deep canyons, and rocky mountains.

Vast plateaus are on the other side. There are prehistoric forests here, and endless beaches line the ocean. Here, the change in landscapes can shock an unaccustomed tourist. Leave Fox Glacier, where the average annual temperature is 12 degrees. And after 120 km you will see palm trees. The rain forests that stretch along the coastal lowlands are not inferior to the tropical jungle. The humidity in them is such that water simply flows over the leaves.

Nature of New Zealand

New Zealand is located in the Pacific Ocean, more precisely in its southwestern part. The main territory of the state consists of two islands. The North and South Islands of New Zealand are separated. In addition to them, the country owns about 700 smaller islands, which are mostly uninhabited.

Story

The first European to visit the South Island of New Zealand was a navigator from Holland. In 1642, he landed in the bay of Golden Bay. His visit could not be called successful: the people of Tasman were attacked by the Maori (indigenous people), who decided that the newcomers were trying to rob their plantations.

Europeans who arrived on the South Island of New Zealand in the second half of the 18th century found themselves in the midst of wars among the Maori tribes. The indigenous population attempted to attack the Europeans, but suffered serious losses. The British proposed to the tribes that the Maoris paid for their guns in potatoes and pigs.

France also tried to capture the South Island by creating the colony of Akaroa. Today it is a town where street names are still written in French. The same attempt was made by a private English company in 1840. As a result, the British authorities declared the island the property of the British crown.

Over time, Europeans began to make up the majority of the population. The gold rush that began in the sixties of the 19th century turned the indigenous population into a national minority and significantly enriched the South Island, while the North was rocked by bloody land wars between the Maori and the British. According to the Statute of Westminster, the North and South Islands gained independence in 1931.

South Island: description

The area of ​​the island is 150,437 km². It is the twelfth largest island in the world. The chain of the Southern Alps stretches along its western coast. The highest point in the country, Mount Cook (3754 m), is also located here. Eighteen mountain peaks of the island exceed three thousand meters in height.

There are 360 ​​glaciers in the mountains. The largest of them are the peaks of Franz Josef, Fox, and Tasman. During the Pleistocene period, glaciers descended onto the Canterbury Plain (east coast) and occupied much of what is now the province of Otago. These areas are characterized by U-shaped valleys, dissected terrain and very cold lakes with an elongated shape: Manapouri, Wakatipu, Hawea and Te Anau. One of the highest waterfalls in New Zealand is Sutherland (580 m).

The South Island is almost a third larger than the North Island. South Island (New Zealand) is inhabited by only a fifth of the country's inhabitants. The eastern half is mostly populated. Here the local population grows wheat and raises sheep. In addition, fishing is developed on the coast; the main commercial fish are sea bass and sole.

Foveaux Strait

This is the place where crabs are caught. The strait is considered New Zealand's oyster region. In the fall, Bluff oysters are collected here, which have an unusual and memorable taste. They got their name from the southern port of the country, which was founded on the site of an early Maiori settlement.

Christchurch

The largest city on the island was founded back in 1848 as an Anglican colony. It was the first city in the country to receive city status in 1856. Christchurch is located on the Canterbury Plain - it is the main agricultural and livestock region of the country.

Climatic conditions

The climate of the South Island is oceanic. In mountainous areas it is quite severe alpine. Glaciers and snow do not melt here even in summer. The South Island (New Zealand) has western air currents. The weather here is quite changeable even during the day.

The average temperature in January is from +10 to +17 °C, in July - from +4 to +9 °C, in the mountains = negative thermometer values. During the year, precipitation falls from 500 to 1000 mm on the east coast, from 2000 mm on the northwestern coast, to 5000 mm on the western slopes of the Southern Alps. Average air humidity is 75%.

Earthquakes

The South Island of New Zealand is seismically dangerous. In recent years, three catastrophic earthquakes have occurred here. One of them happened in Canterbury in 2010 (magnitude 7.1), it was caused by shifts in the crust of the Pacific plate. As a result, more than a hundred people were injured and more than half of the buildings in Christchurch and its environs were destroyed and damaged.

A year later (2011), another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 occurred in Canterbury. It became a continuation of the previous one. However, its consequences were more severe: 185 people died and most buildings were destroyed.

In November 2016, another devastating earthquake occurred northeast of Christchurch. It was triggered by a tsunami.

New Zealand, South Island: attractions

This largest island in the country has many interesting historical and natural attractions that attract tourists from all over the world. For lovers of architectural monuments, we recommend visiting the city of Dunedin, which is considered the Scottish city of the country; in addition, it is often called the Edinburgh of New Zealand. It was founded, as you might guess, by immigrants from Scotland. The site of a long-extinct volcano was chosen for it. The city has a unique topography with many sloping streets and magnificent Gothic buildings.

In another large settlement of the island, Christchester, you can appreciate the splendor of ancient buildings in the Gothic style and modern buildings made in the high-tech style. There are also natural attractions here - a huge Botanical Garden, which occupies an area of ​​30 hectares. It amazes with the abundance of amazing vegetation, including exotic ones.

Among the architectural attractions of the island, the Pelorus Bridge should be mentioned, connecting the banks of the river of the same name, which carries its waters through a nature reserve with dense beech forests in which ferns grow.

• in 1851 it was named by New Zealand explorer Captain John Stoker in honor of the famous explorer James Cook, who visited the island in 1769, mapped almost the entire coastline, but he did not see the mountain that is named after him.
• The Northwest Arc is a special weather phenomenon called the “Canterbury Arc” because it occurs only on this plain. This is an arc formed by a white cloud in a blue sky. The phenomenon is caused by a warm and very strong northwest wind, better known as norwester.
• In the center of the island, more than 500 charcoal drawings were discovered on the walls of caves. They are believed to have been made by ancient Maoris. It is interesting that the Europeans who arrived on the island claimed that the local residents in those days no longer knew anything about the people who left drawings of people, animals and some fantastic creatures.
• There is Larnach Castle in Dunedin. He is the only one in the country. The castle was built by local financier and politician William Larnach for his first wife. English tiles, Venetian glass, Italian marble, valuable species of Roman and kauri trees were used in the construction. Today the castle and its surrounding garden have been restored and restored.

How to move to live on an island?

Magnificent nature, perfectly clean air, a developed and stable economy, social security and a high standard of living are just a few of the reasons that attract tourists to the South Island (New Zealand). Everyone probably dreams of moving here. However, visiting this island kingdom is not so easy. Emigration requires strict compliance with a number of conditions and requirements of the kingdom.

When preparing to move to the South Island of New Zealand for permanent residence, do not trust companies that offer to circumvent the law. In this case, you risk losing money and time. Moving to New Zealand can be done by legal means:

1. According to the quota for young specialists.
2. Through in-demand specialties.
3. To get an education.
4. By investing in the country's economy.
5. For family reunification (including spouses).
6. Upon receipt of refugee status.

More detailed information about the required documents can be obtained from the New Zealand Embassy in Russia.

Map of the islands in the New Zealand archipelago.

New Zealand (English version - New Zealand, in the Maori language - Aotearoa) is a large island archipelago in the Tasman Sea in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, located southeast of the coast of Australia. The Maori version of the name of the archipelago can be translated literally as “land of the long white cloud.” In turn, the European version of the name comes from a modified Dutch phrase Staten Landt, which means the name of the Dutch historical region and province - Zealand.

In fact, the New Zealand archipelago consists of two large islands - South and North, separated by Cook Strait, as well as several dozen smaller islands, islets and rocks.

Geographic coordinates of New Zealand are taken from its geographic center: 41°35′00″ S. w. 173°03′00″ E. d.

The total land area of ​​all the islands in the New Zealand archipelago exceeds 268 thousand square kilometers.

All the islands of the New Zealand archipelago are the main territorial component of the state of New Zealand, which is part of the kingdom of the same name.

Coast of the North Island.

Story.

Around the 11th-14th centuries, settlers from Eastern Polynesia came to the islands of New Zealand and became the first colonists here. Over the next few centuries, two persistent ethnic groups were formed - Maori and Mariori (populated).

In 1642, New Zealand was discovered for Europeans by the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman.

In 1768, ships led by James Cook visited New Zealand. It was after this visit to the islands that their wider colonization by Europeans and the British in particular began.

In 1840, Great Britain appointed its first lieutenant governor to New Zealand, who concluded a treaty with the Maori that marked the beginning of the construction of a modern state.

In 1907, New Zealand became an independent dominion within Great Britain.

In 1914, New Zealand entered the First World War as an independent state. Soldiers from New Zealand took part in battles in the Pacific Ocean, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, and also in the Dardanelles operation.

During the Second World War, New Zealand fought on the side of the Anti-Hitler Coalition and also sent its soldiers to Madagascar, North Africa, and the Pacific Islands.

In the post-war period, New Zealand systematically developed economically; in 1986, Great Britain passed a law that granted New Zealand independence, although for many years before that it actually pursued an independent foreign and domestic policy.

Green hills on Severny Island.

Origin and geography of the islands.

By their origin, the islands of the New Zealand archipelago are of continental origin. Their separation from Australia occurred at approximately the same time as Australia from the single continent of Gondwana. The speed of movement of the New Zealand islands turned out to be slightly higher than Australia, which led to their sufficient distance to the southeast. Most likely, the South and North islands did not initially have a strait between them, which was formed approximately 7-8 million years ago due to volcanic and seismic activity.

South Island (early English version - New Munster, in the Maori language - Te Wai Pounamu) has geographical coordinates: 43°59′00″ S. w. 170°27′00″ E. d. Its shape is elongated, and the coastline is very winding, creating along its length several convenient bays and bays, the largest of which in terms of area is Canterbury Bay in the east of the island. On the western coast of the island stretches the mountain system of the Southern Alps. They include Mount Cook, which, with a height of 3754 meters above sea level, is the highest point not only of the South Island, but of the entire New Zealand archipelago. In addition to Mount Cook, there are 18 more peaks on Yuzhny Island, whose height exceeds 3,000 meters. The tops of the mountains are covered with glaciers, the largest of which are the Fox, Tasman and Franz Josef glaciers. In the early period, these glaciers were much more massive and slid into valleys, while forming several cold freshwater lakes of glacial origin, among which Manapouru, Te Anau, Hawea and Wakatipu stand out in terms of area. There are quite a few small rivers on Yuzhny Island, which form several waterfalls in mountainous areas, the highest of which is Sutherland with a water level drop of 580 meters. The area of ​​Yuzhny Island exceeds 150,000 square kilometers.

North Island (early English name - New Ulster, in the Maori language - Te-Ika-A-Maie) has geographical coordinates: 38°23′45″ S. w. 175°42′44″ E. d. It has a complex geometric shape. Its coastline forms a large number of both large and small bays and bays, among which the Bays of Hawke, Plenty, Hauraki, Great Exhibition, as well as Kaipara and Manukau Bays stand out. The relief of Severny Island is more flat, there are few mountains here. The highest point of the island is the currently active volcano Ruapehu, 2797 meters above sea level. There are not as many rivers here as on the South Island, but there are lakes; the largest in area, both on this island and in New Zealand as a whole, is Lake Taupo. The area of ​​Severny Island is approximately 114,000 square kilometers.

South Island. Abel Tasman Bay.

Climate.

Most of the New Zealand archipelago, excluding the northern regions of North Island, which extends into the subtropics, lies in the temperate climate zone. The sea makes the climate of the islands cooler than that seen at similar continental latitudes, but at the same time milder, since seasonal temperature fluctuations here are insignificant. In the central part of the North Island, in the Auckland region, in the summer from January to February in the daytime the air can warm up to +22-23, and in the winter from June to July - up to +13-14 degrees. Snow almost never falls here, with the exception of mountainous areas. The climate of the Yuzhny Island is more severe. In the Southern Alps both snow and glaciers remain without melting all year round. In the southeast of the island in summer, daytime air temperatures reach +16-18 degrees, and in winter +8-10. The predominant wind direction throughout the archipelago is westerly, which affects the heterogeneity of precipitation, the amount of which ranges from 500 to 5000 millimeters depending on the leeward direction.

View of the lake and the town of Queenstown.

Population.

Currently, the population of the islands of the New Zealand archipelago is more than four and a half million people. Ethnically, the majority are of European descent and members of the indigenous Maori people. In addition to them, immigrants from India, Polynesia and Southeast Asian countries also live in the country. The official languages ​​are English and Maori.

The capital of New Zealand is the city of Wellington, located in the south of the North Island on the shores of Cook Strait. About 450 thousand people currently live in the capital. In addition to Wellington, the cities of Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Tauranga are worth noting in terms of size and number of residents.

The currency in circulation on the islands of New Zealand is the New Zealand dollar (NZD, code 554), divided into 100 cents.

Milford Sound Falls.

Flora and fauna.

The fairly early separation of the islands of the New Zealand archipelago from the mainland of Australia led to the preservation of a large number of endemic species of both plants and animals.

The fauna compensated for the lack of mammals by the presence of a large number of birds and representatives of the marsupial order. The symbol of New Zealand is the flightless bird kiwi - the most striking endemic species of the archipelago; besides it, it is worth noting the kea parrot (Nestor notabilis), which lives mainly on South Island.

Forests cover approximately 18% of the total area of ​​the islands of the archipelago. Most of them were cut down during the period of colonization of the islands by Europeans. The remaining forests contain about 70 endemic species of woody and herbaceous plants, which prompted the New Zealand authorities to take the path of creating protected areas and national parks.

Volcano and Lake Tongarino on Severny Island.

Tourism.

Every year, the islands of New Zealand are visited by about 50,000 tourists who come here to get acquainted with the nature of the islands and the life of the islanders. Among the attractions are a large number of museums of the history of the archipelago, as well as reconstructed settlements of the Maori and Mariori peoples. Getting to New Zealand is quite easy. This can be done both by sea and by air. Travelers have convenient seaports at their disposal, as well as several modern international airports that accept flights from almost all corners of the globe.

Beach on the northern coast of Severny Island.

New Zealand is the most environmentally friendly country on the planet, the land of green hills and the wonderful kiwi bird. A country where the north is warmer than the south. Where the sun goes counterclockwise towards sunset. The country that Jules Verne described in the novel “The Children of Captain Grant”, and Peter Jackson showed in the movie “The Lord of the Rings”.

New Zealand is located in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean on large islands (North, otherwise White, and South), separated by Cook Strait. It is completely surrounded on all sides by expanses of water and has no land borders with other countries. In addition to the large islands, New Zealand also includes a huge number of small ones (about 700), most of which are uninhabited. The largest of them are: Stuart, Auckland, Antipodes, Campbell, Bounty, Three Kings, Kermadec Island and the Chatham Archipelago.

New Zealand's closest neighbor, Australia, is 1,700 kilometers away, across the Tasman Sea. On the northern side are the neighboring island territories of New Caledonia, the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Fiji Islands.

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, is located in the south of the North Island. The largest cities, the territorial scale of which is inferior to the capital, are Hamilton, Auckland, and Christchurch. In terms of population, Auckland is the largest; there are three times more people there than in the capital.

The population of New Zealand mainly communicates in English, a small part of the population speaks the language of the Maori aborigines, of whom there are 15% in the country. The Maori language is incredible and seemingly impossible in its pronunciation. However, every tourist is sure to utter words in the Maori language more than once, because the vast majority of New Zealand's geographical names are spoken in it.

Climate and weather

New Zealand is characterized by suddenly changing weather, as they say, all four seasons in one day. Rain and sun alternate each other several times a day. Thanks to this, there is a constant feeling of freshness in the air, and light snow-white clouds always float in the sky.

The air temperature is relatively uniform throughout the year. It is neither very hot nor very cold here, with the exception of mountainous regions - where the air temperature at times drops to -2 °C, and sometimes up to -12 °C. Precipitation in the mountains is exclusively snow. And the glaciers on the western slope descend almost to the Tasman Sea itself.

Summer in New Zealand lasts from January to February, these are the warmest months of the year, the air temperature at this time +20…+30 °C. The further south you travel in the country, the lower the temperature will be. The coldest month is July, when the air temperature drops to +8…+10 °C in the North Island, and to +3…+6 °C on Yuzhny.

Despite the fact that the temperature conditions are quite moderate, you should be afraid of ultraviolet rays here, especially from September to April from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., even in the shade.

Nature

The nature of New Zealand is associated with a certain perfection, purity and innocence of the surrounding beauties. These are protected forests that have remained intact, shaggy green hills and snow-white mountain peaks, crystal clear mountain lakes, healing geysers, and clear rivers. This is a whole series of unique exotic places presented to the New Zealand people by mysterious and unpredictable nature.

The most beautiful place in New Zealand is the Bay of Islands, which is located on the north-eastern coast of the North Island, rugged with bays and bays. This is a bay with 150 small islands. In the bay you can see many dolphins, huge marlins and even whales.

The unique geothermal wonders of Wai-O-Tapu in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of the North Island - "Champagne pool." Abundant emissions of carbon dioxide make the spring water resemble sparkling wine.

New Zealand's largest lake, Taupo, is amazingly picturesque, located in the crater of a once extinct volcano.

Fiordland National Park is the largest in the world. There are 14 fjords in Fiordland, the most spectacular of which is Milford Sound.

The examples of stunning places in New Zealand are endless. This is the popular Mount Cook Park, the Tongariro Volcano emitting colorful smoke, the Abel Tasman National Park with gorgeous golden beaches, and the Waitomo Firefly Cave. And the real miracle of nature is the Valley of Rotorua Geysers; every traveler considers it his duty to visit there.

Attractions

Of course, the main attraction of the country is its unique nature. National parks on the North Island: Urewera, Whanganui, Egmont, Tongariro. National parks in the South Island: Fiordland(the largest park in the country), Arthur's Pass, Abel Tasman, Paparoa, Nelson Lakes, Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring, Kaurangi, Westland. However, there is more to see in New Zealand besides the beauty of nature.

In Auckland, you can stroll through a unique ocean aquarium with huge predatory fish, spin on a 328-meter television tower, and visit an exclusive treehouse restaurant.

In Wellington - see a huge wooden building the size of a block or get lost among the many beautiful buildings on Cuba Street. You can ride over the city on a cable car tram.

You can visit the city of Napier, the only city in the world built in the style of the 30s of the 20th century. You can plunge into the neo-Gothic architecture of Dunedin buildings and walk along the steepest (35-40 degrees) street.

New Zealand has many museums, cathedrals and churches, and beautiful botanical gardens. The Maori people with their painted faces, rituals and dances of ancient tribes will also not leave you without impressions.

Trilogy fans "Lord of the Rings" can visit filming locations in the surrounding area Hamilton(Hobbiton), Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Nutrition

The most popular New Zealand dish is fish and chips. Fish is represented in the New Zealand diet quite often, which is quite explainable by the geographical location of the country; in addition, due to its remoteness from other countries, the cuisine of New Zealand was formed in conditions of a limited food supply during a whole historical stage, and fish and seafood have always been here.

Modern New Zealand is one of the leading producers of meat and dairy products in the world. Therefore, the basis of a significant share of culinary creations is lamb, pork and beef. These are natural steaks and roast beefs served with potatoes. New Zealanders have their own potatoes, the local variety is called “kumara” and has a sweetish taste.

A very unique dish is the traditional meat pie, such pies, except in New Zealand, are also common only in neighboring Australia.

A traditional dessert is pavlova cake, baked like a meringue and topped with fruit and whipped cream. The largest Pavlova cake was prepared in Hawk Bay by students of the Eastern Institute of Technology in 2005, its length was 64 meters.

New Zealanders prefer beer among alcoholic drinks. It is one of the best quality in the world in New Zealand.

Accommodation

Due to the territorial remoteness of New Zealand, the cost of living in it is quite high compared to European countries and the USA. However, hotel prices here are moderate.

There are about 270 hotels in the country, they are scattered throughout the North and South Islands. The majority of hotels are concentrated in large cities. During the peak season (January-February) they are at their busiest (New Zealanders themselves love to relax in exotic places), so it’s better to worry about booking places in advance. The country offers both high-quality expensive hotel services and much cheaper ones.

Inexpensive hotels ($16-23) are mainly located in rural areas; the only amenities they have are water and a toilet. There are many hotels in the cities of famous large international chains. Neighborhoods in Auckland are considered prestigious Remuera, Kohimarama, Parnell, Ponsonby.

A double room in a 3-star hotel in Wellington costs $90-100 per night, in Auckland it is $60-80. The same room in a 5-star hotel will cost $140-150 and $160-180, respectively.

In addition to hotels, hospitable New Zealand offers accommodation in hostels or campsites. You can also rent an apartment.

A one-room apartment in a decent area will cost between $600-800 per month. Three-room apartment - $1500-2000. Most often, two weeks' advance payment is required.

Entertainment and relaxation

In New Zealand, the most popular tourist attractions include:

• hiking (hiking);
• kayaking and rafting (water tourism);
• diving (underwater tourism);
• alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle.

New Zealand offers hiking in each of its tourist centers throughout the country.

Kayaking - in the Bay of Islands, Marlborough Sound and numerous other bays and fjords. Very often, vacationers are accompanied by dolphins; these friendly sea companions emerge to the surface of the water and accompany tourists. Those who want to try their hand at rowing can sail Maori waka canoes on the Whanganui River or on the country's lakes, such as Taupo. Fans of more extreme water tourism (rafting) will enjoy mountain rivers. In the South Island, for example, this is Kawarau, Clutha. In the North - Mohaka, Reinjitaiki and others.

Diving can be done all year round. There are hundreds of amazing dive sites here. Among them: Bay of Islands, Fiordland fjords, Fleay, Orongate, Plenty bays, southeast Akaroa harbour, shores of Stewart Islands, Karewa, Mautohora and others.

The imposing mountain range of the Southern Alps abounds with ski resorts.

The country hosts many colorful and exciting events and shows: an Arts Festival, festivals of fireworks, jazz, flowers, food and drinks, various carnivals and parades (for example, in 2006 there was a “Tits on Motorcycles” parade - a parade of porn stars), an air show , auto shows and others.

Purchases

New Zealand is famous for its high quality wool and woolen products. New Zealand wool yarn does not always contain only merino sheep wool; Argentines often add possum wool. New Zealand wool is renowned for its elasticity and resilience. Warm soft natural blankets “with soul” will keep you warm in any bad weather, and will also be a wonderful gift brought from New Zealand. You can also buy woolen slippers, blouses, mittens, and hats here.

New Zealand jewelry and cosmetic products containing mineral mud, seaweed, and salts are also popular.

If we talk about souvenirs, the most common souvenir is, of course, a figurine of a kiwi bird.

Maori tribes make a lot of souvenirs. These are decorated wooden masks, jewelry made from colored shells, and weapons of an ancient tribe.

Transport

To get to New Zealand you need, of course, by plane. The most convenient way to fly is through Dubai, Tokyo or Hong Kong. The main hospitable airport in the country is Auckland, which confidently ranks among the best airports on the planet. The annual flow of passengers here is about 13 million. In total, New Zealand has about 30 airports with regular flights. With all the small airports and heliports, this figure increases to 207.

To travel around the country, you can use air transport, or you can use intercity buses. The routes are served by comfortable cars equipped with air conditioning systems, toilets and communications equipment. Ticket prices are quite high; for example, a ticket from Auckland to Wellington costs about $100. However, large carrier companies have a very attractive system of discounts and benefits, where it is possible to receive a discount of up to 50%. Small local companies provide transportation services a little cheaper. In any case, it is advisable to book tickets in advance.

IN Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch, Hamilton, Invercagrill There are city buses.

For those who like to travel independently, car rental is offered, and taxis are widespread.

There are three ferries running between the North and South Islands, with multiple sailings a day from Wellington to Picton. A one-way ferry ticket costs $60-90. If desired, you can order transportation by boat. There is sea transport and ports in Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, New Plymouth, Whangarei.

Connection

The main mobile operators in New Zealand are Telecom and Vodafone. There is also an operator called 2° (2degrees), whose services are cheaper. Operators work with GSM, UMTS and CdmaOne formats. Mobile communications in the country leave much to be desired due to the mountainous landscape. SMS messages sometimes arrive late.

The cost of mobile operator services is high, especially between different operators (up to $1 per minute).

As for regular telephone communications, there are a large number of payphones in New Zealand cities. Telephone cards can be purchased at all newsstands and more.

Regarding Internet access, the resources of New Zealand 3G Internet access are too limited, which makes it also expensive. However, Internet access can be obtained in McDonalds restaurants and a number of other cafes and restaurants, in public libraries, in hotels, and in student dormitories.

Safety

New Zealand is one of the calmest, safest and most peaceful countries on the planet; in this it is second only to Iceland and ahead of Japan. Even despite the fact that this is one of the most armed countries in the world, a third of the population of which has weapons (both hunting and combat weapons - among members of the Pistol Club). But still, crimes using weapons are extremely rare here. The people are extremely friendly and the crime rate is low. The most common crime is theft.

Smoking in public places is prohibited. Drugs are prohibited. Alcohol may be sold to persons over 18 years of age. Also, only people over 18 years old can sell spray paint here. And the fine for graffiti ranges from $160 to $1600.

Among the urgent telephone numbers, you should know the number 111. It is the same for all urgent cases of life; the police, ambulance, and fire department should be called on this number. Reference and information service - 018.

Business climate

New Zealand is a “noble lady” and a “modest shepherdess” rolled into one.

There is a huge amount of pastures on the territory of the country. Livestock farming and agricultural production in general are very well developed here. Describing this in numbers, we can say that for 4.4 million New Zealanders there are 65 million sheep (an average of 15 sheep per person) and 25 million cows and deer (an average of 6 cows and 6 deer per person).

The country has a unique Hukarawnpark farm for growing huge palm-sized shrimp, as well as a Honeyhive bee farm.

The main industrial exhibitions taking place in the country cover agricultural topics, livestock farming, veterinary medicine, food production and packaging, energy and wind power plants, biotechnology, crafts and others.

A little about taxation. In New Zealand, you can carry out business using various forms of entrepreneurial activity. Income tax is generally 33%, for foreign branches - 38%, for private entrepreneurs - 39%. Dividends from foreign shareholders are taxed at 15%.

Real estate

Foreigners can purchase property in New Zealand, but it does not grant them permanent residence rights in the country. The Department of Foreign Investments also considers the acquisition of land plots, coastal areas, islands, and lakes.

The cost of the acquisition procedure is approximately 4-6% of the cost of the real estate itself, these are registration fees, lawyers' fees, real estate agent fees and sales taxes.

The peak of New Zealand real estate sales was between 2001 and 2007. Then real estate prices jumped by 94% (66% taking into account inflation). Today, prices are only 5.7% below their peak.

You can buy an ordinary three-bedroom house, for example, in the northern part of New Zealand, just north of the city of Auckland, from $145,000. In the city of Auckland itself, for the same price you can buy a three-bedroom apartment in a small house in the south-eastern part of the city. Homes with six or more bedrooms with a pool and garage can cost from $400,000 to $2 million or more.

New Zealand has strict sanitary and veterinary controls. Often luggage is inspected manually. Customs often requires you to show return tickets. The import and export of currency is not limited.

It is more profitable to exchange currency at airports.

Street names are only indicated at intersections, so look carefully before you wander into the middle of a long street.

SMS in New Zealand is called "text"- txt. In English, a request for an SMS message will look something like this: “txt me, please.” For Russian emigrants it sounds like “text me.”

Smoking is expensive in New Zealand. A pack of cigarettes costs from $13. Also, English dictionaries are much more expensive here, so it is better to take them with you.

If you are nostalgic for Russian speech, turn it on on Tuesdays "radio Planet" on 104.6 FM at 6:35 p.m. and listen "Russian Leisure".

A few phrases in Maori: Kia ora- Hello, Kei te pehea koe?- How are you?, Tino pai- Very good, Ka kite ano- see you later!

Visa information

Citizens of all countries except the British Commonwealth countries require a visa to travel to New Zealand.

Citizens of the Russian Federation to obtain a visa should contact the New Zealand Embassy in Moscow, as well as its representative offices in St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. For them, a visitor visa to New Zealand will be free.

In addition to the guest visa, there are also work, student and transit visas, for each of which there is a consular fee.

Direct submission of documents and issuance of visas is carried out at the visa center at the address in Moscow: st. Bolshaya Molchanovka, 30/7. Contact phone: (+7 495) 697 03 56.