New Zealand is located inthe Southwest Pacific Ocean and consists of two main Islands as well as anumber of smaller ones. The principal Islands are the North and South Islandswhich are separated by the Cook Strait.
North Island has amountainous center with many hot springs and volcanic peaks. South Island ismuch more mountainous with the Southern Alps, which has some 350 glaciers,running across the length of the Island. Much of the lowlands are broken andhilly while plains are not prominent on either Island.
History
It is estimated the Maori inhabited New Zealand around 800AD. Around eighthundred years later the Western world discovered New Zealand. In 1642, in a bidto locate the mysterious, rich land Australia, the Dutch Explorer, Abel Tasmancaught sight of the West Coast of the South Island.
The First European to setfoot on New Zealand soil was Captain James Cook of England, in 1769. He alsomade the first, but inaccurate map of the country.
Settlers from Englandstarted to arrive in the 1830's, and by 1840 a Treaty was signed between thecrown and the chiefs of the Maori tribes. The Treaty of Waitangi handedsovereignty of New Zealand to the Crown, and is a matter of dispute even today,as the Maori translation is not quite the same as the English.
One hundred and sevenyears later, in 1947 New Zealand declared independence, and became its owncountry.
Economy
New Zealand has a modern, prosperous, developed economy with an estimated GDP(PPP) of US$119.549 billion (2010). New Zealanders have a high level of lifesatisfaction as measured by international surveys. The country was ranked 20thon the 2009 Human Development Index and 15th in The Economist's 2005 worldwidequality-of-life index.
New Zealand is a countryheavily dependent on free trade. Its principal export industries areagriculture, horticulture, fishing and forestry. These make up about half ofthe country's exports. Its major export partners are Australia, US, Japan,China, and UK. Tourism plays a significant role in New Zealand's economy.
New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, so January and February are thewarmest months, autumn is from March to May, winter is from June to August, andspring runs from September to November.
The climate is temperatewith relatively mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The weather varies alot between different regions – the far north is subtropical while the southgets icy wind straight from Antarctica. The far north of the country has anaverage temperature of about 15°C, while the Deep South has a cooler 9°Caverage.
New Zealand does not havea large temperature range, lacking the extremes that are found in mostcontinental climates. However, the weather can change unexpectedly — as coldfronts or tropical cyclones quickly blow in.