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New
Zealandis 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 - hiking, skiing, rafting and, of course,
that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous.
You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs,
whalewatch 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 campervan - 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.
Geography
New Zealand is a long narrow country
lying roughly north-south. Consisting of the North and South
Islands (and a number of smaller islands), it covers 103,736
square miles (166,940 square kilometres) and is 1,000 miles
(1,600 kilometres) long. It covers an area slightly larger
than the United Kingdom. New
Zealand is situated in the South Pacific, approximately
6,500 miles (10,400 kilometres) south west of North America
and 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometres) east of Australia.
Discovery
The Dutch navigator, Abel Tasman, sighted and named New
Zealand in 1642. However, it was not until 1769 that Captain
James Cook charted the coastline and explored the country.
Whalers and traders began to arrive on New
Zealand's shores soon after Captain Cook. The first European
setters arrived in the early nineteenth century at the
Bay
of Islands and established missionary stations in
the area. Mass immigration occurred shortly after the
signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
New
Zealand has a particularly clear and unpolluted atmosphere
with average daily sunshine hours ranging from seven to
eight in summer and four
to five in winter. Ranging from subtropical
in the north to temperate in the south, the mean summer
temperature is 23° Celcius (74° Farenheit) and 14° Celcius
(57° Farenheit) in winter. Seasons are opposite to those
in the Northern Hemisphere - winter is between June and
August and summer is between December and February.
Government
A British Colony since 1840, New Zealand
declared national sovereignty in 1947, but remains a constitutional
monarchy with Queen Elizabeth as head of state. Recently,
New Zealand replaced the previous 'first
past the post' electoral system with a new mixed member
system of proportional representation. There are now several
mainstream political parties - National and Labour, who
were the 'traditional' parties along with more recent political
parties including New Zeland First and the Alliance.
The current government is a coalition between National and
New Zealand First. The EconomyEven
though well over 80% of New Zealanders live in towns and
cities, agricultural products are the basis of New
Zealand's economy and is the biggest export earner. That's
not surprising when you consider that one third of the country's
total area is sown in pasture and that sheep out number
people by twenty five to one! Tourism, forestry, horticulture,
fishing and manufacturing have become increasingly important
sectors in the economy in recent years. Australia
is New Zealand's largest export market,
followed by Japan, Asia, the United
States and the United Kingdom. Foreign
Exchange and Banking FacilitiesTrading banks are open from
9.30am until 4.30pm from Monday through to Friday. New
Zealand operates a decimal currency based on dollars and
cents. NZ$1 = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of $5,
$10, $20, $50 and $100. Coins are 5 cents, 10 cents, 20
cents, 50 cents $1 and $2. Foreign exchange facilities
are available at Auckland, Wellington
and Christchurch airports, at hotels,
trading banks and some retail shops. There is no limit to
the amount of New Zealand or foreign
currency which can be brought into or taken out of the country.
Payment by major credit cards, including Mastercard, Visa,
American Express, Diners Club, JCB and Bankcard (Australia)
are widely accepted throughout New Zealand.
International credit cards may be used to obtain cash from
automatic teller machines provided they are encoded with
a PIN number from your bank. Medical
ServicesNew Zealand's medical and hospital
facilities, both private and public, provide a high standard
of treatment and care. Services are not free for visitors
to New Zealand unless as a result of
an accident but such costs would normally be covered by
your own travel and medical insurance. Hotels and motels
can usually arrange medical services for you. Chemists
(drugstores/pharmacies) are open during normal shopping
hours. Should pharmaceutical supplies be required after
hours, refer to Urgent Pharmacies listings in the local
telephone directory. There are no snakes or dangerous wild
animals in New Zealand. Sandflies are
prevalent in some areas, but these can be effectively countered
by use of insect repellent. The only poisonous creature
in New Zealand is the very rare katipo
spider. Emergency ServicesFor
Police, Fire and Ambulance, dial 111. Calls are free. For
non-emergency calls, telephone the nearest police station
- the numbers are in the front of the local telephone directory.
Postal ServicesPost offices generally
open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Limited postal services are available
from some shops. Business Hours
Offices and businesses generally operate Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm. Government
departments are open 9am to
4.30pm. Shopping Hours
Retailers normally open Monday to Friday 9am
to 5pm with a late night (to 9pm)
either Thursday or Friday. Most retailers are open on Saturday
mornings with some remaining open until 4pm.
Many shops, including supermarkets, grocery stores, shopping
malls and those in tourist areas open extended hours, including
evenings and Sundays. Electricity
Electricity is supplied throughout New
Zealand at 230 volts, 50Hz. Most power sockets in New
Zealand accept flat three-pin plugs or similar adaptors.
Equipment designed for different voltage would require a
transformer although many hotels provide 100 volt AC sockets
(rated at 20 watts) for electric razors only. Road
Rules Driving is on the left hand side of the road. (As
in the United Kingdom). The speed limit
for built up areas is 50 km/hr (30mph) and the open highway
100km/hr (60mph). The wearing of seat belts in both front
and back seats is compulsory, as is the wearing of helmets
when riding a bicycle or motorcycle. Cycling or walking
on designated motorways is prohibited. Taxis
All city taxis run 24 hour, 7 day a week services. It is
not common practice to hail a taxi from the kerbside. Taxis
operate from taxi stands outside major shopping areas, hotels,
transport terminals or can be ordered by telephone. Telephone
Services
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Directory Assistance |
National
International |
018
0172 |
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Operator Assistance |
National
International |
010
0170 |
National
and International calls: can be made by direct dialling
or through operator assistance. For further information,
refer to the local telephone directory. Payphones: telephone
calls from payphones to a local area cost 20 cents. Public
telephones use coins, credit cards or phonecards, which
may be purchased in denominations of $5 to $50. Private
and Business Telephones: All local calls from private residential
telephones are free. Local calls from business telephones
cost 4 cents a minute between 7am
and 10pm. Tipping
Tipping is not an obligatory part of any service rendered,
but may be offered as a bonus when service excels. Employed
persons do not depend upon tips or gratuities for their
income. Water Supply
New Zealand cities and towns have excellent public water
supplies and in all cases tap water is fresh and safe to
drink. Statutory Holidays The
following public statutory holidays are observed throughout
New Zealand. On these days, banks, post
offices and government departments are closed as are most
businesses. Retail shops are normally open except for Good
Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning and Christmas Day,
where they are required by law to close.
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New
Year's Day
New Year's Holiday
Waitangi
Day
Good
Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
ANZAC
Day
Queen's
Birthday
Labour
Day
Christmas
Day
Boxing Day
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1
January (or first weekday if 1 January falls on
a weekend)
2 January (or next weekday if 2 January falls
on a weekend)
6
February
March/April - variable
25
April
First
Monday in June
Last
Monday in October
25
December (or first weekday if 25 December falls
on a weekend)
26 December (or next weekday if 26 December falls
on a weekend)
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In
addition, each New Zealand province
has an annual regional holiday once a year. This varies
between each province.
Additional
Useful Information:
Full
country name: New Zealand
Area:
269,000 sq km
Population:
3.8 million
Capital
City: Wellington (pop 345,000)
People:
88% European (Pakeha), 12% Maori and Polynesian
Languages:
English and Maori
Religion:
Predominantly Christian (81%)
Prime
Minister: Helen Clark
GDP:
US$85 billion
GDP
per head: US$22,360
Annual
growth: 2%
Inflation:
2%
Major
industries: Food processing, wood and paper products,
wool, textiles, dairy products, iron and steel
Major
trading partners: Australia, Japan,
the USA
Visas:
only a valid passport is necessary for citizens of most
countries
Health
risks: none
Time:
UTC plus 12 hours (two hours ahead of Australian Eastern
Standard Time). New Zealand is exactly
twelve hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. In summer,
early October to late March, we enjoy an extra hour of
daylight saving, to extend the warm summer evenings.
Weights
& measures: metric
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